Ice Cream
by Vahkhiin
Summary: "I heard daddy coming home," he said simply. "And I wanted to see Jarvis take the suit of him."  Tony/Pepper
1. Jared

**A/N: **Okay, so this is something completely different. The typical Tony/Pepper but thrown in with something else...

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With beady eyes he watched, body specifically hidden behind the wall and head just perked out enough to catch a glimpse of them. It was sometime after midnight when he had heard that familiar sound of his father returning home. That strange sound of rushing air and a thud and metal snap coming from his father's workshop.

He wondered why the rest of the world thought his father was any different because to him, his father was just his father. That loving, gentle, playable father that laughed and joked and kissed his mother way too much. But he wondered where his father would fly too after he put the Iron Man suit on and he always notices that sad look in his mothers eyes when they say goodbye. He makes it a point each time to give his mother a hug, to tell her that it's okay because he's here and she doesn't have to worry because his father always comes home anyway.

But he doesn't really understand everything that happens, like all those flashing cameras and why almost everyone knew his name. He didn't really like it because he never got the chance to enjoy his ice cream when his father took him to the local ice cream shop or when his mother would bring him to the supermarket on her way home. He didn't like it because they could never stay long enough for him to pick a lolly or some junk food that caught his eye.

He remembered when he asked his father once, why they always had to rush off and get away from the cameras. His father told him very softly that his safety really mattered and that sometimes it wasn't safe to be the centre of attention. He didn't understand why because why would anybody want to hurt him? He didn't bull anybody, well, no one other than Uncle Rhodey or sometimes even Uncle Happy. But he didn't think they would want to hurt him because they always brought chocolate for him when they visited. He didn't know any other kids other than Henry but he doubted that Henry would want to hurt him because all he does is drool all over the place.

His thoughts were interrupted when his mother's voice radiated through the workshop. He could barely see his mother's face because her back was toward him. But he could see his father's face and the expression on his face was strange.

"Pepper, it was awful..." his father sighed softly.

"What happened?" his mother asked, her hand touching his cheek.

He didn't think they would like it too much if they found out he was spying on them. But he couldn't move because he suddenly realized he was on that fifth step that liked to creak a lot. He kept incredibly still, waiting for either one of them to move so that he could quickly hurry up the steps and back to his room. But they didn't move and instead kept standing there mumbling. He strained his neck trying to hear what it was his father was saying and all he got was a few muffled words here and there which didn't make any sense to him.

He suddenly thought of the lingering AI in the ceiling and he really wished Jarvis didn't tell his father that he was hiding in the shadows of the stairs. He could only imagine the long talk he would get and the disappointed stare and silence. He knew his daily chocolate ice cream desert after dinner would also stop for a few days and he really didn't like the idea of that because that was the best part of his day.

He watched carefully as his father leaned in to embrace his mother. He turned his eyes away from around the corner because he didn't think they would like him watching them kiss. It was disgusting anyway. But as he turned he realized it was strange the way his father held her because it was as if he hadn't held her for days. He only ever saw that look in his father's eyes once and that was when his mother had to go to some business trip somewhere for a week. His father had been strangely sad and as much as he tried to cheer his father up he knew his father was only trying to be happy for him. He didn't understand whatever it was that his mother and father had between them but he knew it was really special.

His Uncle Rhodey told him about it when he asked a few days ago. Uncle Rhodey said something about how his father and mother knew each other for so long but never realized that they loved each other until some important things happened. He asked about what those things were but they were interrupted when his father came into the lounge.

"Jared..."

His eyes widened instantly at the call of his name. He really wished the AI hadn't told them. He glanced to the glass door and felt momentarily fearful when his father and mother gave him that very serious look. He paused, arms flung at either side of his jigsaw checked pyjamas pants and he was sure he was in for a very long talk.

"What are you doing up so late?" his mother asked him sternly and he winced at the tone of her voice.

"I heard daddy coming home," he said simply. "And I wanted to see Jarvis take the suit of him."

"Jared, you know the-"

He glanced to the floor, bracing himself for 'the talk'.

"Pepper..." he heard his father saying her name softly and the silence that followed confused him.

"I'm sorry," he said, his eyes still on the floor because he really didn't want to upset them. He just wanted to see Jarvis taking the Iron Man suit off his father.

"Why don't we have some ice cream?"

His eyes flickered toward his father and he wasn't entirely sure if he even heard that or not.

"Tony, its 1am in the morning," he heard his mother scolding his father quietly.

"Come on, Pep, it's a Friday night and we've got nothing scheduled for tomorrow," his father replied strangely with a grin on his face.

He wasn't sure if he had missed something because moments ago he was sure he was going to get 'the talk'. He watched between his mother and father and didn't know if he should have smiled or not. It took her a painful minute before that familiar tiny smile appeared on his mother's lips.

"I somehow knew you'd see it my way, Pep," his father grinned and pressed a kiss at her slightly upturned lip.

"I always get over ruled by you two," his mother said in a much cheerier tone.

"Really? I can have ice cream?" he asked, a smile beginning to form at his lips.

His father nodded brightly and stretched his hand out to him. He beamed a grin at his mother as he felt his father lifting him from the steps. The thought of his father strangely hugging his mother earlier seemed like a distant memory as the three of them made their way to the kitchen.

He suddenly didn't think it mattered all that much that the world knew his name or that he couldn't stand in an isle in the supermarket with his mother without being harassed by those camera people. His parents were special to him and he understood when they wanted to protect him. And right now none of it really mattered anyway because he was getting ice cream for the second time in the same night.


	2. Ironman's Daddy Duties

**A/N:** Hmmm...This story was actually meant as a one shot but I just couldn't help but type this up. Oh and this time it's written from Tony's point of view, not Jared's...Enjoy.

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"Pepper-"

"No."

He blinked, bewildered by her pointed response. His hands are paused, his gesture frozen in mid air as he stared at her. She was sitting behind her desk and although she looked exhausted, she was still furiously typing away at her keyboard, eyes fixed on the computer screen.

"I'm-"

"I don't want to hear it," she retorted and he blinked again.

"But Pepper we're-"

"Not right now," she muttered with a barely audible sigh.

His hands retreated from mid air and swiftly he pocketed them and blinked at her. He really was confused now. He didn't think he had done anything in particular to annoy her and according to the checklist he had Jarvis draw up earlier, he did everything exactly as she requested. He showered and carefully dressed the bruises and cuts he received from the mission hours ago. He wore the neatly pressed suit she laid out for him on their bed, he even managed to dress Jared properly and yet still make it to the office approximately 10 minutes early.

He tugged on the little hand he held in his and together they walked into the room toward a very irritated woman. He glanced wearily at Jared and noticed the discomfort written across his son's face. He smiled reassuringly to the boy and slipped his hand from the little hand he held before replacing the comforting gesture to hold his shoulders instead.

"What's-"

"Quiet," she hushed.

He blinked again, really confused now as he sat down on one of her free chairs. He lifted Jared to his lap and together they watched her.

"Pepper I-"

"Be quiet," she mumbled exasperatedly.

"Okay," he murmured and obediently kept quiet.

He settled for silence with his son and he was mildly thankful his son wasn't the impatient type. But he noticed the constant squirming and he decided on a little hand game. He opened his hand wide and his little son placed his hand in his. He watched wondrously as his little son pointed on his hands a few times, pulling at his fingers, drawing lazy circles.

"Okay," she began pointedly.

The little hand game he was playing with his son stopped blankly and together they stared at her.

"Now," she started as she laid her hands very carefully over each other on her desk. "How many times have I-"

"Pepper, it wasn't his fault I-"

"How many times have I said it, Tony?"

"Five..." he muttered.

"And Jared, how many times did I tell you?"

"Three," his son mumbled softly.

"And yet the both of you can't get it right?"

"But what's wrong with-"

"No..." she sighed and pointed her gaze to him. "You cannot pick him up from school in your Ironman suit."

"But mummy, daddy was just-"

"I was running late, Pepper," he reasoned, "I couldn't get home in time to grab the car and Happy was busy driving Natalie around...I had to do something."

"I would have picked him up," she retorted.

"But I had to fly over his school to get home anyway so why not just kill two birds with one stone?" he questioned carefully.

She regarded him silently and he winced at her expression. He was sure much later without the presence of Jared, he was probably going to get a lengthy lecture.

"Alright, no ice cream tonight," she muttered as she neatly packed her bag.

"But mummy-"

"No buts," she retorted and he winced at her tone.

He reassuringly ran his hands over Jared's shoulders.

"And Tony-"

He gazed to her.

"Don't even think about sneaking ice cream into his room later..."


	3. Like Father Like Son

**A/N: **I really loved writing this. It's from Pepper's point of view this time. Thanks for all the reviews...enjoy.

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She was tired but honestly, the word tired itself did a disservice to how she really felt. She was exhausted and probably dying from boredom. But there's a sense of professionalism that she must keep, that she must maintain in her regal expression as she listened to one of the board of directors mumble on about the accounts of Stark Industries for that month. It wasn't that she hated being CEO, in fact quite the contrary. But there was something about being married to a super hero and being a mother and a wife and a lover all at the same time that really tended to exhaust her.

If there was one thing she did truly hate, it was standing on that step below the pedestal watching him suit up. It was watching him leave, giving him that kiss and that goodbye that hug. It's slipping her hand onto his cheek and holding him in her gaze, capturing his face, his look, those eyes so that she can keep the mental image in her mind forever. She knows she's being foolish that she shouldn't even consider such a thing. But it touches on the edges of her thoughts and as much as she tells herself that he'll come home eventually, she still can't help but worry. It's about wondering whether he's okay or whether he's just taken a blow to the head. It's about worrying whether he'll come home that maybe one day, just one day he'll slip and make a mistake. That maybe he couldn't dodge the gunfire in time or step out of the way of the impending rocket.

She shuddered at the thought and focused more on the board of director currently talking about the next month's predicted profit earnings. She made sure to comment here and there or offer suggestions that were particularly more logical in her view point. She was never aiming to be a CEO in her life. It was always one of those things that is there, that exists but you know you'll never get there not because you don't' want too but because it doesn't interest you. But trust her luck to fall in love with her boss, to fall in love with the only boss that becomes a super hero. The hero that was secretly waiting for his impending death and at the same time, appointed her CEO so she wouldn't worry. So that if his death was to follow through then someone at least worthy in his eyes would be left to keep his company safe.

Sometimes the sentiment in his actions was endearing and sometimes completely impulsive and downright irritated her. But that's why she fell in love with him in the first place. That's what she loves about him. That he's able to maintain that narcissist act in front of the public and everyone else, but not with her or anybody he actually held close to him. There were very few people that he would ever let see that and she respects that.

The board meeting was reaching an end and she was dreadfully thankful because she was getting really tired now. She hated Friday afternoons, they were always the worst for her. But Friday nights were nice, they had their little Friday movie night which normally involved watching the latest Disney movie. She loved that about Tony, that even though he'd rather spend the night loving her in their room, he still makes the time to include family time as well. Sometimes if she wasn't so sure of herself, she thought he was probably the better parent between the two of them. He was always so attentive, so ready to listen or do whatever Jared wanted.

She still remembered the day Jared was born and how she had awoken to see him standing by the window holding the little bundle in his arms. It was so surreal, so strange to see him being so gentle, so loving and so fatherly. She remembered he had his back to her and he kept talking, whispering under his voice as he pointed at several things out the window to the little bundle. It was such a small act on his part, such a small thing that filled her heart with so much love. It wasn't the fact that he was simply being the perfect father for their son but the fact that this was Tony, the same Tony that disregarded children at one stage in his life and never cared much for even having children. She had loved him back then and now she only loved him more. He still had his little perks and did things in particular to irritate her. But his love for her never changed and if so it only grew stronger.

"Pepper?"

She blinked, glancing to Derick the director of accounts of Stark Industries. He was a geeky looking man with glasses and sandy blonde hair. Tony had mentioned to her several thousand times already of how boring listening to that man was. She couldn't agree more.

"I know I'm particularly boring to listen to but could you at least listen for a few minutes, this is really important," Derick said with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

She smiled warmly and nodded. "I'm terribly sorry, Derick. It seems I've caught the 'thank god it's Friday' disease."

The board of directors chuckled as she laughed softly.

"I think everyone has that," Derick replied with a smirk. "I know Tony always has it."

"Nah, Tony is more of the 'thank god I don't have to attend a meeting' disease," she mumbled as she straightened the documents in front of her.

"Oh we know," Derick chuckled.

The meeting was somewhat tiresome in her eyes when it ended minutes ago. She didn't understand why they had to elaborate on the same subject for an entire hour when all they really had to do was say, 'look we're doing it this way because it's better.' Then again that was so much of a Tony thing to think of. She smiled a little to herself as she stepped out of the elevator.

She walked through the familiar hallway, the cream coloured walls easing her stress levels. She glanced to Natalie who sat behind her desk typing away furiously and she gave the woman a smile and a nod.

"Are they still in my office?" she asked blindly, slipping a few documents into the document rack at Natalie's desk.

"They haven't moved since you left for the meeting," Natalie replied with a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"Oh..."

"They're very busy," Natalie said, her lip slightly curled at each side.

She raised a brow, "I really hope Tony hasn't gone and taught Jared how to upgrade my computer again."

"He was tempted," Natalie replied, "But I think Jared was more interested in something else."

"Colouring again?" she asked absently.

"Drawing actually," Natalie responded with a open smile.

"Like father like son," she murmured with a little laugh.

"The same thought crossed my mind," Natalie laughed.

She pushed the door of her office open and paused. They looked almost comical. Father and son were head to head, their eyes staring down at each of their own papers drawing intently. At the angle in which she watched them, it looked as if there was a miniature Tony sitting front of her Tony. They both had their eyes narrowed and their hands almost perfectly replicated in the same angle. She smiled warmly at them, losing herself entirely for a moment as she watched them.

It didn't really matter so much that he was Ironman and she was CEO. It didn't matter because their son didn't think differently of them. They were just Tony and Pepper, just daddy and mummy in his little brown coloured eyes. And that's all that really mattered anyway.

He looked to her, his goatee looking extremely devouring as he raised a brow to her and smirked. Their son hadn't noticed her standing at the door yet and she used the moment to just smile at him. He looked so perfect to her, so much the perfect father in her eyes. There were very few people she knew who would actually sit down and colour or draw miscellaneous things with a child for an hour. Tony was one of those people she never thought would ever do such a thing.

She glimpsed to the paper in front of him and wasn't surprised to see a scribbled drawing of his Ironman suit with several figures and calculations basking the sides. He didn't exactly draw what a normal person would she admitted. But nevertheless, he had sat there and drawn with his son and that was still noteworthy. She glanced to Jared's paper and wasn't startled when she saw a scribbled drawing of a car. It had a few figures and calculations around the side as well and she was sure that was Tony's doing. But watching Jared shift his pencil to the corner of the paper to scribble some sum made her wonder.

She gazed back at him again and rolled her eyes. He smiled warmly and shrugged.

Like father like son, was all she could think.

Trust her to be in a room of child prodigies.


	4. Jarvis is Annoying

**A/N: **I'm really quite surprised so many people actually like this story. But I'm really loving it at the same time too. Thank you for all the reviews so far. And by the way this chapter is written in Jared's POV.. enjoy..

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Sometimes he really hated Jarvis. The AI always seemed to be right and even as much as he tried to think over his problems properly, the AI always had the best solution. He glared mercilessly at the ceiling as if hoping the AI would feel guilty or something. He grunted when the AI did nothing but reply him with endless silence.

"You're really annoying," he said suddenly to the roof as he entered his room.

"Are you talking to me, Jared?" the AI responded in a tone that was totally indifferent.

"Yes," he replied, pouting his lip a little as he folded his arms across his chest. "I said you're annoying."

"I am terribly sorry you feel that way, young Mr Stark," Jarvis replied coolly.

He waited for a response but was once again left in silence. He grunted again and shot a disheartening glare to the ceiling. "Aren't you going to say that you're not annoying?"

"I'm afraid I cannot, Jared. Your father has reminded me of how annoying I am for many years now."

"Well, he's right."

"Would that be all young Mr Stark?" Jarvis asked his tone indifferent.

The AI was really making him angry now. He shot another glare to the ceiling before haphazardly burying himself under the blankets. He remained buried under the blankets for a good minute or two before he simply couldn't take it anymore. He pulled himself from under the blankets, untangling his legs and stood with hair slightly messed and clothes a bit swayed to the side.

"Okay, fine," he sighed, "You're not annoying anymore."

"I'm not sure how to respond, young Mr Stark," the AI replied.

He pointed his gaze to the floor and mumbled, "Well I said you're not annoying anymore so talk to me."

"What would you like to talk about, Jared?" the AI asked politely.

"About why you you're annoying," he replied angrily.

"I don't think I'm programmed to be annoying," Jarvis said simply. "I'm programmed to offer assistance, whether you chose to like or dislike what I say is entirely up to you."

"Yeah well-"

"Jared!" he heard his father's shrill shout emerging into his room. He winced as his eyes flew to the door.

His father stood there looking quite frustrated and pointed.

"Stop arguing with Jarvis," his father grumbled. "I really need his help at the moment and he can't help me if the both of you keep arguing."

"But daddy-"

"Sir, I was not-"

"No buts from either of you," his father said pointedly, glancing between him and the roof, "Jarvis is always right because he's a computer-"

"-and he's not like us, he doesn't make mistakes, I remember..." he mumbled.

"Well," his father sighed.

"But it's not fair," he muttered with a defeated sigh.

"He's built on logic, Jared," his father explained simply. "You can't argue with logic."

He stared questionably at his father.

"Sir, I don't think the word 'logic' is in young Mr Stark's vocabulary..."

"Hmm...A little help, Jarvis..."

"According to the words reason, argument or common sense suffices for the word 'logic'."

"Oh that's just helpful..."

"Science of reasoning?"

"What?"

"Propositions have been made to suggest that the science of reasoning-"

"You're really not helping," his father muttered angrily.

"You could always request assistance from Mrs Stark, she-"

"No, she hates it when I call her for miniscule things when she's at work."

"Daddy-"

"What is going on here?" he paused when he heard his mother's questioning voice.

"You're home?" his father asked, that familiar grin appearing on his father's lips.

"Sir, I was trying to let you know that Mrs Stark just got home."

"Jarvis, mute," his father muttered with an irritated tone.

"Is there something I missed?" she asked, her brow a little raised as she held her bag at her side.

He offered his mother a glimmering smile before his father explained, "Jared was arguing with Jarvis and I told him Jarvis is always right because he's programmed to be right."

"Oh..."

"But daddy used the word 'logic' and I don't know what that means," he said softly.

"Aren't there other words for the word logic?"

"I already had Jarvis look up a few words, he said to explain to Jared the science of reasoning," his father chimed in swiftly.

"That won't help."

"I know."

"Well," he watched as his mother turned to him, "Jared, logic is like how certain things just are."

"Like one plus one is two?" he asked.

She nodded and smiled. "You could look at it that way."

"Oh...so Jarvis is always right because he is programmed to know all the right things?"

"In a very complex way, yeah," she nodded again and brushed her fingers through his hair.

He smiled at his mother, understanding her completely.

He glanced to his father who glared mildly toward his mother. His father glanced briefly to the ceiling before adding, "Jarvis is just annoying because he can't help himself."

"Tony..." his mother muttered disapprovingly.

"He is, and you know it," his father murmured as he pressed a kiss to her frowning lips.

He cringed and turned away. He really hated when his mother and father kissed. They're faces always got so mushy and soft and lovey-dovey.


	5. Mummy Knows

**A/N: **I didn't quite get as much reviews as I would have liked for the previous chapter but well, I love writing and as long I know there's a lot of people reading then I'm happy with that. But thank you though to the three who reviewed up until I posted this chapter (roguelane, InTheLight1396, wonderwomanbatmanfan). Enjoy the chapter. It's written in Tony's POV this time.

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There's something he loves and treasures about standing in the supermarket beside his son picking out ice cream for the night. It's something that touched his soul. Something that dwelled further than the meaning of life or the reasoning's of the universe. It wasn't like the laws of physics or the gravitational calculation of flight. It wasn't like numbers or blue prints or Ironman.

It was something that went further than that, something that went forever. It was something like what he felt when he kissed her or when he told her how much he loved her. It was when he woke up beside her for the first time and when he knelt down on his knee and asked her to marry him. It was something like the way she watched him and the way she kissed him before he went off to a mission. It was something that could last forever, that could be a forever and that was a forever.

He glanced briefly down the aisle and noticed the familiar driver, guard and trusted friend standing in his perfectly pressed suit. The burly sized man was one of three others who stood there. He felt mildly ridiculed at the thought of having to tag them along to his trip to the supermarket with his son. But the idea of being harassed by the paparazzi while trying to spend some quality time with his son was really not a enticing thought.

He had to admit the peace and serenity in simply choosing a ice cream flavour at his own pace was comforting. Then again he thought quite blandly, he hadn't exactly ever been to a supermarket to do this sort of thing before in the past. He was never one for acts of domesticity before. He shuddered at the thought that once upon a time he had _her _running all these sorts of errands for him.

"Daddy, do you think mummy will like the caramel one?"

His thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind as he glanced down at his son. He smiled briefly before he nodded. "I'm sure she'll like that."

"I don't know," Jared sighed as he leaned very heavily against him.

If he wasn't so sure of himself he was sure Jared was using him more as a leaning post than anything else for that matter. But he had to admit he found it very amusing to watch his son struggle with the basic choices of ice cream. There were many things he knew, many things he was aware of and knowledge he had the opportunity to gain. But having children and accepting their innocence and their very comical view of the world of blue skies and daisies was something entirely different.

It was a concept so new to him, so strange yet entertaining and very candid at the same time. It reminded him of when he was a child. It reminded him when once upon a time ice cream and lollies were the best food ever and late nights and movies were the next. Those were the days where things didn't matter, where life was this strange pathway that led to a place of rainbows and dreams and hopes for all kinds of future.

"I like that chocolate swirl with caramel. Do you think mummy will like that?" Jared suggested excitedly beside him.

"Mummy said to surprise her," he replied softly.

"Well we can't get that strawberry one, mummy gets sick if she has strawberries," Jared mumbled as he thoughtfully glanced toward the chocolate selection of ice creams.

He remembered the day he found out she was allergic to strawberries. He had felt so guilty for never having known that she was allergic to them. It was almost the equivalent of having a rocket blown into his head or betraying her in so many different and unthinkable ways. It was something that really hurt him inside and made him realize how much he had taken her for granted. But he had vowed to her, promised to her the day he stood with her on that podium. The day he promised her forever when he said, 'I do'.

There were many things he promised to people in the many years before he had become Ironman. The things he said he would do but never did. But then becoming Ironman changed something in him. It made him realize all the wrong things he had ever done. He realized how much he had put her through and how much of it she didn't deserve to be a part of. The drinking was one of the many on the list, but the women and the excessive requests for dry cleaning of their clothes was something that would forever taint his soul with deep remorseful guilt.

But he loved her now and loving her carried him home. Because loving her made his heart soar and it made his mind free. It made him feel like he was on the highest mountain. That no matter what he would be in his best form because he had her and he had their love and that was all he needed. But it was really in her trust in him. It was the way she had somehow in her heart seen the real him and the man he was becoming. He had never told her before about what he truly promised her when he sealed their love forever. But he was sure she knew now that many years ago before Jared was born, when he promised her his love he promised her his heart forever.

"Daddy?"

"I'm sorry," he murmured as he blinked a few times, slowly letting the thoughts vanish as he focused on his son. "I was just thinking."

"Oh...I think mummy will like this one," Jared said as he pointed to a particularly brown coloured box on the highest shelf of the freezer.

"Chocolate ice cream with vanilla swirls and chocolate fudge sauce?" he asked as he raised a brow.

Jared was never too keen on chocolate chip before. He always said the chocolate fudge sauce ruined the whole idea of the chocolate ice cream. But frankly to him ice cream was ice cream. He had his favourite flavours here and there but he hadn't really given ice cream all that much thought before. He remembered vividly several months ago when Jared and him had been in the exact same situation and how Jared had eagerly spent a good solid 5 minutes explaining to him why chocolate ice cream should be kept plain without any added ingredients. It still amused him to this very day.

"I think mummy will like the chocolate fudge sauce," Jared commented briefly, his eyes sparkling with delight.

"Why would she like that?" he asked, curious as to what made his son think she would like chocolate fudge sauce.

"Because last time I came to the supermarket with mummy she bought some," he answered innocently. "Then the next day after that I wanted to try it but when I looked for it in the cupboard, it was gone. I found it in the bin and I was pretty sure she ate it all because I've never seen you eat chocolate fudge sauce before."

He blinked. He remembered that night very well alright. She had decided to try something different. She wanted to change things a bit and he was only too eager to comply to exploring her body with nothing but his tongue and chocolate fudge sauce. He made a mental note to tell her that buying items for use in the bedroom when Jared was in company was really not a good idea. Jared's intelligence was clearly not to be questioned seeing as he was his son. The thought alone was enough to render Jared's ability to acquire knowledge at a more complex rate than normal average children his age. He was after all instantly good with numbers and logical theory, he was bound to pick up minuscule details that normally surpassed him or her.

"Oh..." he murmured. "What about just the chocolate and vanilla twirl?"

"No chocolate fudge sauce?" Jared asked.

He nodded and smiled warmly, "You know how your mother is always complaining about things being too sweet."

"Oh...I didn't think about that."

He opened the door of the freezer and securely got hold of the box of chocolate and vanilla twirl ice cream before he shut the door again.

"This one then?" he asked patiently.

Jared nodded. "Yup."

"Alright, we better get going before your mother scolds me," he said dryly, slightly feeling a little bit guilty for having to rush them off so soon.

"I think she already knows," Jared said softly as they made their way toward Happy and the other guards.

"Oh?"

"Mummy always knows when we do something wrong," Jared explained softly.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because she told me she knows," Jared said and looked at him sincerely believing that his mother could see every wrong thing he ever did.

He chortled slightly, briefly resting the Ironman's gauntlet at his son's lower back. The innocence of Jared's understanding of the world really opened his eyes to a whole new world he had never seen before. But the idea of it captured him and he loved that he had been given the opportunity to explore it with their son.

But as much as he wished he could revel in that thought in that moment, he winced at the scolding he would surely get later. It was one thing to spend some time with his son but something entirely different when he was in his Ironman suit and choosing ice cream for the evening with their son at the local supermarket. But being part of the Avengers and trying to make the time to do minuscule things with their son had certain pitfalls. Although he didn't think it mattered too much anyway, after all Jared didn't seem to care much and it was safer for both of them this way. At least he knew that Jared was less likely to be bothered by the paparazzi with his towering Ironman father beside him leading him to the car.

So either way his points of reason were valid but somehow he highly doubted she would understand. But it was okay, he thought, he loved listening to her anyway. There was something about her voice, about the way she looked at him that made his heart soar. Even if it meant listening to her scold him again.


	6. Jared's Sixth Birthday

**A/N: **Okay I wasn't expecting so many reviews for chapter 5 but I must say I'm completely ecstatic :) :) :) . Thank you very much for all the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter...told in Pepper's POV. enjoy.

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The only thing she can think of as she watches him is how much he looks like his father. It was the way his brown hair fell callously over his brows and the intent and serious stare of his eyes fixed on the paper before him. He was the splitting image of his father, the exact replica in every way, shape and form. If she wasn't so sure of herself she was sure she was looking at the younger version of Tony. The little boy with the knowledge of a man and the soul of a scholar. She always heard about those old wives tales that some people were just born with an old soul. That inside they were wise and knew and saw things differently to the average person.

He's sitting at his father's desk seriously scribbling away at some piece of paper. He's missing his sixth birthday party they're throwing for him upstairs. All his favourite people like Uncle Rhodey and Uncle Happy are there and yet he's here. He's a very strange little boy to her, very resolute, reserved and very serious. But there's always a twinkle in his eye when his father is around. There's always that boyish and childish gleam in both father and son that warms her heart. There's something about both of them that warms her heart and lightens her soul. They define her and slowly they've become her world and her life.

She never thought she would ever find such content in having a family of her own. That was something she never sought out for. But here she was and she didn't think she'd have it any other way. Being a mother and watching her son grow into this astute little boy filled her heart with joy. She had to admit there were times when listening to him talk about his latest findings in number theory mind boggled her, but the fact that he was so much like his father amused her at the same time.

There were times when Tony had told her how jealous he was of Jared's ability to comprehend numbers. He said it was beyond his own abilities when he was at that age. But she always reminded him that this was his son and being a child protégée was something she was sure their son would be. She punched in the number at the keypad and offered him a smile when he glanced at her. He looked as if he had been caught doing something extremely wrong.

"You're missing your party," she said softly as she made her way to him.

He lowered his eyes for a moment and glanced to the pedestal where his father suited up to be Ironman. She had a dire feeling this was what it was all about. That he couldn't quite enjoy his sixth birthday party without his father being there. The both of them were inseparable pairs, she should have known.

"It's not the same without daddy here," he mumbled softly.

"I know," she replied. "But you know why daddy had to go."

"To save the world again," he sighed.

"He'll be home soon," she murmured as she ran her hand into his messy hair. She brushed it back a few times much to his discomforted gaze flickering across his expression. He was so much like his father.

"But it isn't fair," he explained softly, "Why can't the world be safe for just one day?"

"Because the world wouldn't be the world if everything stopped for a single day," she replied calmly.

He mumbled, "But it's my birthday."

She sighed and lowered her gaze to the paper in front of him. Sometimes trying to cheer him up was the most difficult thing she could ever do. He was so much like his father, so much like his determined father she had fallen in love with. Her eyes traced over the stick figured people he drew on the paper and she smiled warmly when she realized it was the three of them.

"Maybe when daddy gets home we can have our own little party," she started as she turned her eyes to him.

"But won't he be tired?"

"I think daddy won't mind," she said softly, "It's not every day you turn six is it?"

She watched as the smile curled at his lips.

"Tell you what, I'll send the guests home and we'll do whatever you want until daddy gets home, then we can have our own family birthday party, just you, me and daddy. How does that sound?"

"Anything?" he asked, his eyes gleaming as he looked at her.

"Anything."

"Can we draw then, just you and me?"

She smiled and nodded. He wasn't so much like his father, he was exactly like his father she thought as she briefly instructed Jarvis to send the guests home. There were many things that defined her, that made her the woman she was today. But sitting here colouring with their son, that was perfect.

"Can I help patch daddy up if he's hurt again?" he asked.

She stared at her son for a moment, just basking in the thought that his concern for his father's wellbeing exceeded his own birthday party. Maybe that was what made them so special she thought as she looked at him. And she thanks whatever it is that has led her here because she couldn't imagine herself without her little family. She couldn't imagine a life without them and as much as she hates him having to be Ironman, she thanks it too because it's what led them here.


	7. Hacking vs Mingling

**A/N: **Thank you for all the reviews! This chapter's written in Jared's POV. enjoy.

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There's a million cameras flashing at them and suddenly he just wants to go home. He wants to get away from all the people and all those reporters shouting his name. He hates that everybody knows him, that everybody wants to know what it's like being the son of Ironman. There isn't a doubt in the world that he doesn't love his father because if anything he loves his father and his mother very much. They're the best parents he thinks a kid could ever have because they always let him have ice cream every night. But sometimes he just wishes they were a normal family.

Sometimes he wishes the world didn't know his name and he wishes his father didn't have to fly off into battle every other day. He hates that his mother is always sad when his father leaves and he really just wishes they could all have a little vacation. That maybe just for one day his father wouldn't have to be Ironman and his mother wouldn't have to be CEO. He wishes that they were just ordinary people that could walk in a supermarket without being followed by a dozen body guards.

His father always tells him not to worry about it. That eventually in time he'll get used to all the cameras and all the people always shouting his name. His mother often tells him to just ignore them because sometimes that's all you can really do. She always told him to look the other way or pretend he didn't see them at all. But he thinks it's not that easy because he can't focus properly when his name is being shouted all the time.

They're attending the Stark Industries Christmas party and as excited as he was to eat the Christmas cake, he really isn't looking forward to an evening of complete and utter boredom. He's sure his father and mother will be busy with talking to a dozen people and his Uncle Happy will be busy dancing with Natalie. His Uncle Rhodey will probably be doing the same thing as his mother and father and there really isn't anybody else he thinks he can hang out with.

"Behave okay and be polite to people if they talk to you," she says softly as she neatens the tie at his neck. He squirms a little because he really hates wearing the tie.

"I need to use the bathroom..." he says softly.

"Pepper, can't we just go home...This is all so tedious," his father grumbles beside his mother.

"I don't mind if we go home now too," he adds and winces when his mother throws him a very pointed look.

"I thought we already discussed this," his mother protests quietly.

"It was two against one and you still beat us," his father grumbles, "It was hardly fair to begin with."

"Well, you made me boss so."

"Sometimes I wonder why I fell in love with you, Pepper."

"Because I was all you had," his mother replies coolly.

"Touché Pep."

"I try," his mother smiles and he's sure he's missing something entirely.

"Well...you go mingle, I'll take him to the bathroom," his father says softly to his mother.

He watches as his mother nods and adds, "If you absolutely insist."

"I insist," his father says with a smile. He feels his father's hand as his father added, "We'll see you in a bit."

"Behave," his mother pointedly told his father and this time he smiles as he turns away when they kiss because he thinks it's really disgusting.

They make it to the toilets in less than two minutes. He briefly catches a glimpse of a twinkle in his father's eye and he suspects they won't be returning to the ballroom to join his mother any time soon. He's partly grateful for that but partly not because that would mean he and his father would get a hefty earful later.

But ten minutes later his father and he are sitting on the sink counter heavily engrossed in hacking into Stark Industries mainframe.

"Better than talking to boring people?" his father asks softly.

He nods and smiles in return. "But mummy's going to scold us later."

"I know, but she doesn't stay angry for long..."

He smiles.

It wasn't going to be a boring evening after all.


	8. No place like home

**A/N: **Thank you again for all the reviews! I love reading them :) . This is a short little update because I had a little bit of a trouble with writing it. Reality always gets in the way. Anyway, enjoy...[In Tony's POV]

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"Jarvis, time?" he mumbled as he stepped down from the pedestal.

He stretched his hand as he waited for the AI to respond and winced at the emerging pain. He briefly gazed at the gash at his right arm before he decided plainly to deal with it later.

"_It is currently 3:45am sir. Would you like the results of your after-mission medical check?"_

"Is it bad?"

"_Moderate."_

"Summarize it please, I'm tired," he murmured as he pushed the glass door open.

"_Your left gastrocnemius has been moderately strained, there is a two inch gash on your right arm that requires approximately five stitches and there are several impending bruises revolved around your right chest and back."_

"Well...That sounds promising. What's the approximate days required for recuperation?"

"_Two weeks."_

"Hmm..." he grunted briefly, "Just in time for Christmas."

"_Shall I ready Dummy to perform the stitching?"_

"No," he shook his head blankly as he made his way up the steps. "I'll have Pepper do it. Dummy can be a bit eccentric sometimes."

"_In his defence, sir, he is a robot and therefore not equipped with delicate touch."_

"Oh I know that too well especially with his happy trigger fire extinguishing abilities," he murmured as he paused outside Jared's door.

"_Young Mr Stark isn't in his room, sir."_

"Where is Jared?" he asked, suddenly alarmed at the AI's response.

"_He has taken up residence on your side of the bed that you share with Mrs Stark."_

The smile curled at his lips as he glanced down the hallway toward their room door. He should have known.

He pushed the door open slowly and winced at the creaking sound of the door joints. He made a mental note to deal with that later but he paused when his eyes gazed over them.

She was lying on her side, her face barely visible under the moonlight as she slept oblivious to the world around her. He didn't think anyone could get any more beautiful than her. She had become the Queen in his world and in many ways than one, she had become his heart. She had taken his soul and swept it away in her clutches and all he could do was soar in that endearing feeling of belonging.

It was strange to him, surreal even to this day to feel that he deserved this. He had done nothing in the past but hurt her multitudes of times that he couldn't even possibly count. And all the while he was oblivious to it. But somehow and strangely enough, something changed when he became Ironman. Something inside of him woke up and then he knew. He realized what he had been missing all along and he often wondered how something as perfect and wonderful as her could ever have slip past him.

His eyes drifted to the little body beside her. The little boy that had become his pride and joy in every way shape and form. His blue eyes and sandy brown hair resembled them perfectly. It was almost as if he had taken the better ends of each of them to become something so perfect. Something so genuinely unique and better than any of his inventions and discoveries.

Seven years ago, if anybody had told him he would have this today he would have probably laughed at them and said 'yeah right'. He would probably have also dismissed it and termed it something he would never do in his life. But now as he stood here in the moonlight looking over his family he couldn't see how he could have wanted to miss any of this. He couldn't understand why a part of him never wanted this because right now, here, this was all he wanted.

This was all that he ever wanted.

And it didn't matter that seven years ago he was a drunk, a CEO and a helpless sleep around. It didn't matter that he almost died three times because of his plain old stupidity. It didn't matter that he wanted to give her strawberries even though she was allergic to them.

It didn't matter that he stood there battered and bruised watching over them like the moon. It didn't matter that when he wore the suit, he was Ironman, destructor and most well equipped weapon of mass destruction. It didn't matter that he had rockets strapped to his body or that his entire armour was made of titanium and alloy. It didn't matter that he was part of SHIELD or that he secretly worked for the Avengers and took orders from Commander Fury.

None of it mattered.

Only here right now, they mattered.


	9. Cake

**A/N: **Am sorry for the late update. The festive season is becoming increasingly chaotic and not to mention, expensive when buying extravagant gifts for loved ones. I hardly had time to write this between work and shopping but I managed when I finally had some free time today. Enjoy the chapter. I'm sorry if the characters seem out of character this time around. This chapter was a little rushed.

* * *

It was quiet when she got home that evening. The windows were darkened and that familiar light that always emerged from the workshop was strangely dimmed. She frowned at the thought of what father and son were up too as she casually smiled and waved as Happy drove off. She had to admit that it was expected seeing as she left the two of them to their own devices on a Saturday. But in her defence, managing a company over the festive season was always hectic and chaotic.

She stepped up toward the front door and squinted a little when the lights blinked on. She hoped that he was responsible enough to ensure that him and their son consumed something other than junk for their daily supplements. She really didn't want to have to deal with a hyperactive father and son after a long day at work.

"My apologises Mrs Stark," Jarvis' animated tone sounded from the speaker as the lights dimmed to a less brightened tone.

She smiled briefly at the AI and greeted, "Thank you, Jarvis."

"You've returned just in time, I think," Jarvis replied.

"Oh...for what?" she asked as she stepped into the house. She caught a glimpse of a dimmed light emerging from the lounge and she really hoped that father and son hadn't fallen asleep in front of the television again.

"I think it's better if you saw for yourself," Jarvis answered.

"Oh no...This doesn't sound good," she sighed as she kicked off her shoes. "Should I be afraid?"

"It's best if you see for yourself."

"Where are they?"

"Kitchen."

"Thanks Jarvis," she said softly and slowly made her way to the kitchen, "Oh and security protocol A46 for the night."

"The usual..." the AI sounded.

"Watch some movies if it gets boring, I'll handle Stark senior and junior for the night."

"I'm not sure how you do it, Mrs Stark. They are quite the handful when they're together."

"A lot of practice," she said as she smiled, "And a lot of love."

She rounded the corner of the hallway and stepped into the kitchen. She paused and blinked quite blankly at the sight before her.

The counter tops and walls were covered with smeared doughy like substance. The handle to the fridge door was covered with dripping egg and on either side of the kitchen stood father and son. She blinked again as she stood rooted to the floor between father and son.

She very carefully and slowly turned her eyes to Tony who stood with his hand paused in the air as if he were about to throw something. She gazed over to his hand and noticed a very well rounded egg sitting in his hand and she raised a brow at him. She noticed the dough plastered to his hair and the flour staining his black shirt and she regarded him pointedly.

"It's not what it looks like," he said seriously, his expression intent and resolute as he attempted to lessen the severity of the situation.

She narrowed her eyes at him before she turned her eyes to Jared who looked ready to bolt from the kitchen.

"Well?" she asked simply.

"I'm sorry," Jared said softly as he lowered his eyes to the floor.

"Tony..." she started and stared at the only other adult in the room, "What on earth were you two trying to do?"

"Bake a cake," Jared answered softly.

She raised a brow and turned to her son. "A cake? Couldn't you two have gone and bought one somewhere?"

"Yeah but..." Jared mumbled and looked to his father.

"We were going to make a cake for you," Tony explained and casually wiped a chunk of dough from the counter top.

"And?"

"Daddy spilt the dough mixture," Jared answered swiftly.

She raised a brow and glanced to the ceiling. "He spilt the mixture on the roof as well I presume?"

"It was sort of an angled spill," Tony explained theoretically as he motioned the direction of the incident.

"Ah..." she murmured. Two could play this game, she thought as she kept her brow raised at Tony. "Those type of spills are always unexpected."

He nodded coolly.

"Well..." she remarked as she swiftly placed her hand bag in a sheltered corner of the kitchen. She glanced toward Tony and smiled endearingly as she stepped toward him.

She was amused when he leaned back as if expecting the worst from her. But she carefully leaned toward him and grabbed the egg he had left on the counter top moments ago. She turned to Jared and smiled before she casually smashed the egg at the side of Tony's head.

"And that's how the cookie crumbles," she murmured and smiled at him.

"Mhmm..." Tony cooed, "Egg... Nice raw egg."

She smiled but frowned the instant she felt two eggs being smashed at either side of her head.

"That was totally uncalled for," she muttered.

"Jared, get the tray of eggs," Tony yelled and laughed as he pounced to the other side of the room. "It's war."

"That's it, you're both going down," she remarked pointedly as she made her way to them throwing every ounce of cake mix she could get her hands on.


	10. Hacking or Dancing

**A/N: **Christmas shopping is done! And finally some more time to write this. I didn't re-read it before I posted it like normal so hopefully there isn't too many mistakes. Thanks for the reviews! This chapter's told in Jared's POV

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He was bored.

But the term 'bored' was probably an understatement as he sat there and watched the many dancing couples scattered across the ballroom. He spotted his mother and father lingering amongst the crowd near the rather enlarged Christmas tree and he smiled warmly when he noticed his parents dancing very animatedly. He watched as his father threw his arms at every direction and that very notable expression of embarrassment emerging on his mother's face.

He didn't know exactly what was between his mother and father but he knew whatever it was, it was really special. It was something greater than anything he had ever seen before and anything he ever learned in school. It was something that was greater than numbers and science. He knew how much his father hated being interrupted while he was working in his workshop. But he always knew when his mother interrupted, his father's expression always softened. It was as if his mother had this special way of capturing his father's complete and utter attention.

He tried it sometimes to get his father's attention when his father was busy and to a certain degree he was able too. But nothing like his mother. He did note however that whenever it was Uncle Happy or even Uncle Rhodey, his father completely ignored them so it made him feel a bit better that he had at least some response.

He smiled smugly to himself as he glanced down at his PDA.

This was the fifth Christmas party they had attended in the past two weeks and normally his father and he spent the time learning how to hack in the men's toilet much to his mother's dismay. But this time around it's the Avenger's Christmas Party and he knew how much his father enjoyed this particular party. He didn't know exactly what the Avengers did or how his father helped them. But he knew it had something to do with his father being Ironman and it didn't really bother him that much because he had his PDA anyway.

"Hi!"

He looked up from his PDA to the little girl standing before him.

"Um...Hi," he greeted politely.

"I'm Amelia and I'm four years old and my daddy is Spiderman," she grinned as she held out three fingers to him.

He chuckled and stretched his hand out to extend an extra finger from her hand.

"There, you're four now," he said with a smile.

"Oh..." she hummed as she looked at her fingers, "I frowgot...I'm not good with numbwers..."

"That's alright," he smirked and nodded.

"What's your name?"

"Jared," he said softly. "And my daddy's Ironman."

"Ohh...the robot man," she cooed.

"Yeah, kind of," he replied.

"That must be really cool to have a robot as a daddy," she said amazed and dazzled as she looked at him.

He raised a brow and smiled, "Well, he's not really a robot..."

"But he's made of metal."

"That's just his suit."

"Oh...like my daddy's Spiderman suit?"

He nodded, "Yeah, it's kind of like that."

"What is that?" she asked as she looked eagerly at the PDA in his hands.

"It's a PDA," he replied swiftly.

"PDA?"

"Personal Digital Assistant," he said, "But my daddy configured it a little different."

She looked at him and asked seriously, "What's configured?"

"Um..." he stalled and looked at his PDA, "Kind of like when you change the settings on something."

She tilted her head and blinked at him. "What's settings?"

"Uh...I-"

"Jared, I see you've met little Amelia."

He glanced to his side and thankfully met his father's amused gaze.

"Uncle Tony," he watched as the little girl beamed and threw her little arms around his father's neck.

"Hey, hey! Where's my kiss?" his father murmured.

He smiled as little Amelia gave his father a kiss on the cheek.

"Your daddy is looking for you," his father said softly to her.

She beamed a grin before she turned to him again.

"It was nice meeting you Jared, say hi to your robot daddy for me," she mumbled before she scampered away in search for her father.

"She doesn't know who you are?" he asked his father sceptically.

"No," his father answered swiftly, "It's difficult to explain to her that I'm Ironman too."

"Oh..."

"I saw you had a little trouble explaining some things to her," his father started.

"Yeah...it was a little hard to explain what configured and settings mean."

His father smiled proudly at him for a moment before throwing his hand around his smaller shoulders.

"Not every kid your age will know stuff like that, Jared," his father said softly. "I think I've suffocated you with too much knowledge."

He glanced questionably at his father.

"But I suppose it has its highlights too," his father nodded as he mumbled to himself. "What about we hack into the Avenger's mainframe?"

His eyes sparkled. "Really? But don't you want to dance with mommy?"

"Nah, she's having fun talking with the others and I'm a bit tired of dancing anyway," his father murmured. "Well, unless you want to dance of course."

He blinked and quickly shook his head. "No, hacking's better."

His father chuckled and stared at him for a moment before shaking his head. "You're really something, Jared my boy."


	11. Christmas  part 1

**A/N: **Merry Christmas Everyone! This was quite a hastily written chapter so I apologize profusely for any errors of any kind. Merry Christmas to everyone! Have a great one!

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He awoke to sunlight pouring into the room and the memorable hushed melody of John Lennon's 'So this is Christmas' playing through the speakers of their room. He smiled feeling that clichéd feeling that only came every festive season.

He wiped the sleep and dreams away from his face and glanced around the room in search for her. He found her sitting at her desk busily scribbling on a piece of paper. He raised a brow and smirked, deciding this was the perfect opportunity to stealthily make his way to her and kiss her senselss.

As efficiently as he could he moved from the bed. Carefully peeling the covers away from his body and sliding off the bed in a very stealthy style. He peered at her and when she indifferently scribbled on the piece of paper, he went in for his prey. On his hands and knees he crawled, and came to a quiet stop behind her. He carefully stood up and leaned forward as he pressed a hand either side of her, trapping her body between him and the desk.

"Mhmm..." he hummed as he pressed a kiss at the side of her neck, "Merry Christmas, Pep."

She laughed a little and turned to him. "I knew I heard the blankets shuffling."

"Should have stayed in bed with me," he murmured and continued to press kisses down her neck.

"Any minute now your son is going to be awake and demanding for his presents," she mumbled as she slightly moaned at his kisses.

He sighed and pressed a lingering and longing final kiss at her shoulder. "Later then."

"Mhmm...sounds like a plan," she murmured.

"What's this?" he asked, glancing at the neatly wrapped present sitting between her hands.

"For you," she said softly.

He frowned when she blushed a little.

"I thought we agreed...no presents but a lot of getting naked on Christmas night after Jared's asleep?"

She laughed and nodded, "Yes but it's one of those things, you know, when you really have to just wrap it up."

"Hmm...I'm curious now," he mumbled and stretched a hand forward to touch the present.

"You can open it now," she said softly.

"Shouldn't we open it with Jared and the rest of the presents?" he asked.

She smiled endearingly at him and shook her head. "Open it now."

"Alright," he murmured as he began to peel the paper from the present.

"You've never peeled the wrapping before," she noted.

"I know...I'm trying to tease you."

"Well, it's working."

He chuckled and peeled the rest of the paper from the present. The white box was ordinary he thought and he frowned at it as he unlatched the top and pulled out the contents of the box. It looked like a glasses case and he frowned further.

"You got me glasses?"

"What? No...Open it," she instructed.

He opened the glasses box and paused. In all its glory and magnificence, in the centre of the glasses box sat a very visible pen shaped stick. But the part that caught his eye was the notable plus printed in the middle the stick and a little piece of paper written with her hand writing.

_Merry Christmas Daddy_

The smile curled at his lips instantly and he turned to her and murmured, "Really? How long?"

"Two months," she replied softly.

"But you still drank champagne and wine at the Christmas parties," he noted.

She smiled sheepishly. "Actually, Natalie helped me out there."

"What? She knew?"

"I had too," she said softly and touched his cheek, "Merry Christmas, Tony."

"And here I thought you were having an affair with Natalie."

"Tony," she gasped and swatted his arm.

"Well, I had a sneaking suspicion it was this and I was very tempted to ask Jarvis to check it out."

"But?"

"It wouldn't be fair to you and I trust you would have told me when you were ready."

She looked at him in that very endearing way of hers for a moment before she smiled and leaned in to kiss him.

"I love you, Tony," she murmured as she kissed him.

He sighed and smiled against her lips. "I love you too."

"And we're not naming our baby Rocket Bullet Stark."

"Uh huh...I bet Jared would beg to differ, he would have loved the name Rocket instead of Jared."

"You're incorrigible."

"I know," he sighed dramatically, "But you love me anyway."

* * *

_A very Merry Christmas  
__And a Happy New Year  
__Let's hope it's a good one  
__Without any fear_

_So This is Christmas by John Lennon_

**Christmas 2010**


	12. Christmas part 2

**A/N: **And another Christmas comes and goes...All that hype and shopping and eating. I'm full and quite content. Another two weeks of holidays then it's back to work. Oh well, life goes on I suppose. Happy Holidays again!

* * *

"So..." he mused as Jared hurried out of the room to the bathroom. "What about Arc Bullet Stark?"

She rolled her eyes, turned to him and said sharply, "No."

"Arc Rocket? Arc Reactor?...I personally think Arc Reactor has a ring to it," he mumbled as he tapped the arc reactor sitting in his chest.

"Haven't we had this argument already?"

"I hardly call it an argument, darling," he mumbled and glanced to her, "It's a discussion and I'm open to ideas."

She sighed as she picked up the scraps of Christmas presents wrapping that Jared had discarded moments earlier. It was Christmas morning and although she was still giddy with excitement about her pregnancy, the very thought about naming their new baby was daunting. They had enough trouble as it is naming Jared and she could only patiently ponder on the thousand other names Tony was going to come up with in the next following months.

She glared at him pointedly and said sharply, "We are not naming our baby after machines or weapons and that's final."

"What about Titanium or Alloy Titanium Stark?"

She narrowed her eyes at him and added, "Or metals either."

"Technically...Titanium and Alloy are actually elements," he pointed out with a deadpanned smirk, "Chemical elements if I'm not mistaken."

"Well, elements or metal or machines, weapons, whatever it is that is related to science or engineering or mathematics."

"Pepper Jr?"

She rolled her eyes at him and tossed the bunched piece of paper wrapping in her hands at him.

He chortled and added, "Or Tony Jr?"

She fought the smirk slipping onto her lips as she tried, "What about Jarvik?"

He raised a brow and looked at her questionably. "Jarvik?"

"Just A Rather Very Intelligent Kid?"

He shook his head seriously and muttered, "No, that'll only make Jared jealous..."

She gasped as the realisation hit her. "I didn't even think about that. How are we going to tell him?"

"Well we will start off by saying that it takes two to-"

"No," she brushed aside and continued, "I'm not explaining baby making to our six year old son."

"Well, you know it's in his nature to ask where babies come from so why bother lying when the truth will suffice?"

"Because he isn't ready for the truth just yet, Tony," she replied insistently, "He's six years old... Wait until he's sixteen."

"Is that really necessary? He'll find out eventually anyway."

"Sometimes, for all your intelligence and greatness you really are quite dense when children are involved."

"Pepper, darling, I never planned to have children and I most certainly did not plan to have more than one child either. I fell in love with you and one thing jumped to another and the next thing I knew, there was Jared in all his magnificence and glory," he explained and reached out to take her hand in his as he continued, "He is probably the most wonderful unplanned thing I've ever done in my life and don't get me wrong, I do love him and want to do the very best I can by him. But give me some credit if my parenting skills are a bit skewed sometimes. If you'd rather we not tell him the exact details then we'll alter them a bit..."

She stared at him for a few moments and basked in his ability to weaken her knees by just simply talking. Sometimes she thought he was more the adult between them than she was. She smiled after a few seconds passed by and leaned down to press a very gentle kiss at her lips.

"Sometimes, I just hate it when you say the most perfect things," she murmured and sighed as she sat beside him.

She felt his arm encircling her shoulders and she leaned back into him as she stared at the Christmas tree.

"Just leave it to me, Pep," he murmured, "I think I have it sorted."

She nodded and smiled lightly beside him, "Somehow I can't help but think it'll result in a horror of some sorts."

"Trust me, Pepper," he added and pressed a kiss at her neck, "I'll give him a very G-rated explanation."


	13. Birds and the Bees

**A/N: **Well...the next time I'll be updating this story is next year. I was going to update it on the 31st but I highly doubt I will get a chance. Happy New Years everyone!

* * *

The first thing Rhodey noted as he stepped into the familiar mansion was the silence that greeted him. The AI ordinarily greeted him with a witty 'hello' and sometimes even went as far as to comment on his attire. But this time only silence welcomed him as he announced himself through the microphone at the door. The door unlocked on its own accord after a few moments and he assumed Tony had seen him from one of his cameras one way or another.

There was never telling what new inventions were upgraded to the mansion when Tony was concerned.

He expected Tony's voice to radiate through the speakers but he was met with silence again. He frowned as he made his way toward the lounge, ready for an unknown attack of some sorts. But the scene before him seemed untouched, relaxed even and homely. The chairs were neatly tucked under the dining table and the Christmas tree still stood tall at the corner of the lounge. A line of toys were lined up beside the tree and he was sure Jared had a fantastic time opening those presents.

He doubted that Tony would have endeavoured to entertain Pepper in the bedroom seeing as it was still school holidays and Jared was most definitely at home. Pepper, he noted would be at Stark Industries and he was sure that the only other place where father and son were surely be hiding is the workshop.

He pulled his jacket tighter around himself as if to reassure himself that everything was perfectly okay before he descended the steps. His military training always taught him how to react in moments like this and he used every ounce of his training to ensure his safety. He rounded the corner, careful to take a quick glimpse before he let his body follow and the sight that touched his eyes froze him.

"-according to these diagrams, this is how babies are formed..."

He glanced, startled at the comical diagrams printed on the board and a very resolute boy sitting at a desk looking at them as if they were the new latest blue prints to one of his father's inventions. He turned his eyes to Tony who stood there in all of his glory with a hand touching his beard and the other lazily draped across the workbench.

"Alright well...that's basically it," Tony murmured uncomfortably, "Jarvis, diagrams off..." he heard Tony's instruction and decided it was time he made his entrance.

"Sir, during your unconventional lesson for this topic, Colonel Rhodes arrived. I was unable to greet him due to the excessive amount of usage of my processes while you classed Jared however I did take the liberty to let him in," Jarvis announced before he could even raise a hand and wave at Tony.

"Rhodey?" Tony mustered, "What brings you here on this fine day?"

"Uh...not much really, I just-"

"Hello, Uncle Rhodey," Jared mumbled quietly before he turned back to the paper sitting before him.

"Sup Jared," he greeted politely before motioning to Tony with his eyes.

Tony swiftly walked across the room and murmured something to Jared who looked completely puzzled as he glanced down to the papers before him again.

"What's up?"

"What was that all about?"

"What? Oh...you mean the diagrams?"

"Isn't he a bit too young to learn about the birds and the bees?"

"Yes...and no, you see-"

"Does Pepper even know?"

"Yes but-"

"Yes? And she agreed to let you teach him about-"

"It's not my fault, she's-"

"Are you absolutely out of your mind?"

"No, I just-"

"Daddy," Jared whined and haphazardly thumped the desk in what it seemed to be frustration, "I still don't understand how mummy became pregnant."

He blinked and the realisation hit him like a hurling ball of fire. "Pepper's pregnant?"

"Yes and-"

"And you were trying to-"

"Christ, Rhodey," Tony exclaimed and blinked at him. "Would you like shut up for a moment and let me finish?"

"You showed him diagrams?" he ignored Tony completely and narrowed his eyes.

"What's wrong with diagrams?"

"He's six years old..."

"And? It wasn't explicit and I even told Pepper I'd explain it in a very G-rated way."

"Tony," he regarded his friend seriously, "Diagrams are hardly G-Rated."

"It's the human body Rhodey, I don't see what's so explicit about it," Tony remarked sharply, "It isn't like I showed him pornographic images or anything."

"I still don't understand," Jared added in bluntly.

"Maybe your mother would have been better at explaining this," Tony sighed, his tone defeated as he ran a hand over his face.

"It just doesn't make sense," Jared murmured and glanced at the diagram.

He sighed and pointed firmly at Tony, "Let me handle this."

"By all means, be my guest."

He glared for a moment at Tony before he walked toward Jared and kneeled down.

"It basically works like this," he started, "Your father planted a seed into your mummy's stomach and now the seed is growing and your mummy is pregnant."

"Oh..."

He smirked amused at Tony's baffled expression.

"Next time, I'll let your mother handle things like this..." Tony muttered.

"So does that mean my baby brother or sister will be a plant?" Jared asked innocently.

He sighed and wondered why he decided to visit the Stark residence.


	14. New Years part 1

**A/N: **And finally it's a Happy New Year for the Stark family. Enjoy...

* * *

"-Donvan in accounts has started out fairly well this year."

Pepper smiled politely and replied, "Yes he has considering he's only a fresh graduate."

"Oh I know, fresh graduates these days are hard to find."

"True, Juliet. So what's your New Year's resolution?"

"The usual, drink less, work hard," Juliet murmured as she sipped on her wine.

Pepper groaned inwardly and briefly glanced around the room. They were attending the Stark Industries annual New Year's Eve party and if there was one thing she sorely disliked, it was engaging in a conversation with Juliet, assistant to the director of Stark Industries public relations. That woman, she noted dully could talk till the cows came home or in Tony's opinion, talk anybody to death.

She sipped plainly at her sparkling apple juice disguised as wine. The news about her pregnancy was still very much under the radar. It was Tony's suggestion this time to keep it private until at least she showed. She agreed whole heartedly as the attention from the press was sometimes a trifle overwhelming and if anything she could do without the added attention.

She glanced around the room in search of Tony and Jared, wondering apprehensively what her two boys were up to. If she didn't know better she was sure she'd find them in the men's bathroom again attempting to hack into something. She had to admit the thought was somewhat comforting to her mind that they weren't getting into any silly danger but the implications of hacking also worried her to a certain extent.

Then again, she remembered the less thrilled response she gave Tony when she found out how he had elaborately taught Jared how babies were made. She inwardly cringed at the talk she would surely have to have with Jared tomorrow because she was sure the six year old was duly scarred mentally.

"Pepper?"

She blinked from her already vanishing thoughts.

"Are you alright, you zoned out for a moment there?" Juliet asked slightly worried.

"Oh, it's nothing," she replied with a sincere smile, "Just reflecting on the year."

"Ah yes it's been a nice year. I remember when-"

She groaned inwardly again and touched Juliet's shoulder politely as she added, "Sorry to interrupt you Juliet, I'll have to excuse myself."

"Oh?"

"I need to use the bathroom."

"Oh my...sure, I'll go mingle. Drinking really just makes me ramble on."

"It's no problem."

The feeling of relief emerged in her nerves as she stepped away. Escaping that woman's evil conversing clutches was seriously a chore sometimes.

She spotted Natalie and Happy standing conservatively chatting with each other and hastily made her way to them. She smiled at oblivious couple. Sometimes it amazed her that they both could not see past the unspoken feelings they had for each other. But on another hand she had to admit she and Tony went through the same sort of thing. It only took them a decade to discover the blatantly obvious.

"Boss," Happy greeted with a smile. "How is the party so far?"

She smiled, "The party's alright, please don't call me boss."

"Oh right...Pepper," Happy smiled.

"Where's Tony and Jared, I dare ask?"

"Last I saw they were on the way to the men's bathroom..." Natalie replied.

"Oh dear-"

"Jared's getting quite good with his hacking," Natalie commented.

She sighed, "Yes I'm sure with a father like Tony, he'll be able to hack into The Pentagon when he's 10 with his eyes closed."

"It gets better than that I'm afraid," Natalie murmured.

"Oh?"

"He hacked into Fury's computer-"

"Oh dear-"

"-and changed his wallpaper to flowers," Natalie explained and sipped on her wine, "Which I'm sure was a Tony touch."

"Hmm...Tony takes it too far sometimes. I'll talk to him."

Natalie shook her head and smiled, "Don't worry about it. Jared's a good kid and Tony knows what he's doing."

"I'm not so sure about that," she murmured, "Tony has his ways sometimes."

"Well...you have a point there," Natalie nodded.

Pepper smiled and sighed, "I better go find them before they hack Stark Industries to oblivion."

* * *

The hallway to the bathrooms were dimly lit and she mused quietly that Tony was with her to light the way properly. She smiled to herself at the comical thought, knowing true and well that he would gladly light the way for her even though he'd remark that he was after all, the best flashlight in the world.

A hand of hers slid across her stomach and she smiled at the thought of their unborn child. She thought of all the years that passed and the strangeness that was Tony. She started at Stark Industries so many years ago, so young with blinding hope and fruitless dreams. She wanted to be something, to make her parents proud even though they would never see her walking that high mile. She hoped that maybe somewhere in the sky they'd look down and know that she finally made it.

And finally she knew that she made them proud. She had everything a woman could have and she knew Tony felt the same. She could never really forget the past and everything he had done. She could never forget taking out the 'trash' or those endless nights he spent losing himself to alcoholic oblivion. She'd never forget walking in on him sprawled naked on his bed or the times she'd seen him walking away with two, three or sometimes four girls attached to his arms.

But none of it mattered.

Because she'd never forget that look in his eyes when he kissed on that roof top so long ago or the look in her eyes the day he bent to his knee and promised her his forever. She'd never forget the day he came home from a mission and just wept in her arms from the sheer thought that his inventions caused such destructions.

But above all she'd never forget the day she told him she was pregnant with Jared. It was the way his eyes lit up and his lips curled as if he had just gotten the one thing he always wanted. It touched something inside of her that day. It was something that erupted through her veins with that ultimate warmth and knowledge that he truly loved her so much that he would want to share something like that with her.

"Daddy, do you hate being Ironman sometimes?"

She halted as her musings vanished and her curiosity got the better of her. She had sworn she heard Jared's voice and strangely it didn't come from the men's bathroom that was at the end of the hall. She glanced toward the exit door just a few feet from her and she quietly made her way toward it.

"Hmm...well I wouldn't use the word hate," she heard Tony's familiar voice. "It's more like an obligation."

"What's obligation?" Jared asked softly.

"It's like when you've got to do something you don't want to do."

"Oh...but if you don't want to be Ironman then why do you want to be Ironman?"

"Well...protecting people is something that makes me feel like I'm doing something right..." Tony replied, "But sometimes being Ironman takes away the time I would really much rather spend with you and your mother."

"I love you, daddy."

She swallowed the lump at her throat and braced herself as she turned the corner. Jared was comfortably lying back on the stone chair, his head resting on his father's thigh. She smiled, amused at how father and son could look so utterly relaxed even though they were identically dressed in matching suits.

"Pepper," Tony greeted with a grin.

"Mommy!"

"I thought you two were hacking again," she murmured as she sat beside Tony.

"Nup, daddy said we should watch the stars tonight," Jared added and smiled at her.

"I thought it'd be a nice change of scenery," Tony mumbled beside her as he pressed a swift kiss at her neck. "You know, since its New Years and all. I mean it wouldn't be nice to spend the last few hours of this year in the men's bathroom."

"When do we get to watch the fireworks?" Jared mused as his little eyes gazed to the stars.

"Soon, Jared...soon," Tony murmured.

She smiled and shook her head at the two of them. If there was one thing she realized right then, it was that money couldn't buy love. It couldn't buy the little musings they shared as a family. It couldn't buy those nights they spent eating ice cream at obscene hours of the morning. It couldn't buy what she had and she knew Tony felt the same.

Tony sighed, the smile evident on his lips as he leaned in to kiss her.

_Yeah_, she thought quietly, it was going to be a good year.


	15. New Years part 2

**A/N: **Thanks for the Happy New Year wishes everyone :) . This chapter is set just after the New Years Eve party that the trio Stark family attended. Enjoy...

* * *

"You want me to tuck him in?" Pepper asked as she halted and stopped in the middle of the steps. She turned around and gazed down at him.

He chuckled and gazed up at her. "You really got to stop doing that, Pepper...One of these days I'm going to walk right into you."

She smiled warmly and slipped her hands around his neck and kissed him softly. "I know, but I like it because for once I'm taller."

"Well, you get quite close sometimes when you're wearing your stilettos..."

"True," she nodded briefly but added, "But it's nice and I'm pregnant and hormonal so just humour me."

"Always," he murmured and kissed her gently, "I live to please..."

"Yup," she remarked shortly, "That's why you persuaded me to have ice cream with you and Jared at 2am even though you know I hate to eat sugary substances before sleeping."

"Well," he whispered as he pressed a few kisses down her neck, "You weren't complaining."

"That's because Jared was giving me the typical 'Tony' look," she murmured as he kissed her.

"Huh? There's such a thing as the 'Tony' look?"

"Oh yes," she nodded swiftly and unknotted his tie. "It's the one where your eyes go all wide and droopy..." she paused and narrowed her eyes at him, "You're doing the look right now."

He chortled as he pulled her close. "Well, if it's any consolation, Jared does the 'Pepper' look on occasions too."

"What are you-"

"There..." he mustered triumphantly as he gazed up at her. "You're doing the 'Pepper' look."

She huffed and mumbled, "You're incorrigible."

"And yet you marry me and bear children with me..."

"That's because I-"

"I know," he sighed and sarcastically mustered a defeated expression, "You're in it for the money and Ironman."

"And also because you're a fantastic flashlight," she admitted sarcastically.

He chuckled as he slid a hand across her cheek and pressed a sensual kiss at her lips. He pulled her closer as she ran a hand through his hair and suddenly he felt like he was kissing her for the first time all over again. He was contemplating on whether to lower her to the steps or press her up against the railings before he suddenly felt her pulling back.

"Tony," she mustered with a stifle laugh as he pulled back from the kiss. "We're in the middle of the steps and-"

"That's disgusting," Jared grumbled from the top of the steps.

"Jared!" Tony exclaimed as he loosened the hold on Pepper but made sure to still securely keep an appropriate hold on her.

"Really gross," Jared added and shielded his eyes.

"See, I told you."

"You know, kissing your mother is a completely appropriate gesture," Tony murmured.

"Tony-"

"It's still gross," Jared mustered.

He chuckled at Pepper's horrified expression.

"Come on, let's get you tucked in," Tony smirked at Jared who scowled at him from the top of the steps. As he stepped up beside her he whispered, "So I can kiss your mother without an audience."

"Tony," she gasped.

"Incorrigible," he mumbled, "I know."

* * *

As she disappeared into the bathroom he unbuttoned his shirt and lazily draped his tie over the edge of the bed. He sighed and smiled warmly at the thought of his little family.

"Is he asleep, Jarvis?"

"As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out."

"I'm not surprised," he murmured as he discarded his shirt.

"How was the party, sir?"

"Wonderful," he replied and smiled as he continued, "It's always great when I'm with Pepper and Jared."

"Would you like me to initiate protocol 50-TG for the evening, sir?"

"The normal will do, Jarvis."

"I have also taken the initiative to commence protocol 15."

He raised a brow as he discarded his pants and stood promptly in his boxers and a white shirt.

"What protocol is that?"

"You designed it when Mrs Stark was pregnant with Jared."

"Oh...good thinking, Jarvis. I didn't even think about that."

"Didn't think about what?" Pepper asked briefly as she stepped into the dresser to discard her formal clothing.

"Protocol 15," he mumbled as he followed her into the dresser.

"Protocol 15?"

"That protocol I designed when you were pregnant with Jared."

"Oh...I remember that one. That really helped a lot."

He rolled his eyes sarcastically and added, "Of course it did. Your professional flashlight husband designed it just for you."

She snickered and slid her arms around his waist. "Yes...my obscenely rich husband..."

"Mhmm..." he murmured as he leaned in to kiss her and whispered, "Your obscenely rich and sometimes superhero husband is ready to please."

"I'm just here for the cash remember," she whispered as he smiled at her.

"And for other things too," he chuckled and pressed her against the cupboard as he trailed kisses down her neck.

She leaned into him as he kissed the place where her neck met her shoulder. He moaned softly as she ran her fingers through his hair. He decided he'd take it slow this time around. That she deserved a little more pleasure because it was New Years and he really wanted to make love to her even though he made love to her the night before. There was something special about starting out the year with the fact that she was two months pregnant that made him swoon.

He slipped a hand under her shirt and pressed his palm against her lower back as if to pull her closer. He closed his eyes as he breathed her in and trailed kisses up her neck with every intention to capture her lips again. But just as he slipped a hand into her cheek and drew back to briefly look at her his eyes captured hers and he paused.

"Mhmm...I love you, Tony...Happy New Year," she murmured and smiled warmly at him.

Her words touched him further than anything ever could at that precise moment. It wasn't as if she didn't say it every day but more so the moments she chose to say them that made their moments just so...perfect. It was as if she knew how to turn him into an incoherent bubble of romance and everything so clichéd that came with love. Only she could look into his eyes and stare directly at his soul and remind him what it was like to fall in love with her all over again.

And it was like this every year on this very day that he loved her more and more. He couldn't love her any less because loving her was the next best thing to heaven.

The smile at his lips curled as he sighed and pressed his forehead against hers, "I love you too, Pepper," he whispered and added before he kissed her, "Happy New Year."


	16. MAGE

**A/N: **Am very sorry for the late update...Been busy at work as always. I miss the holidays already. enjoy...This chapter is told in Natalie's POV.

* * *

If there was one thing she truly enjoyed with being nothing but an ordinary receptionist, it was having the time of day to just sit there and watch the world go by. Granted she worked as any ordinary receptionist and personal assistant did, but something about just being 'ordinary' was nice. She had to admit there were occasions she wished she were back in the field again. But protecting the Stark's was a mission itself and being with them and protecting them over the years was an experience in itself.

It took her too many places she hadn't been before and most of all it introduced her to the other kind of life she never thought of before. The life in the public eye of the media and the press. The unforgettable flashing cameras and imposing paparazzi that seemed to want to record every possible moment of the Stark's life.

But if there was one thing that really captured her that really stilled her world and made her wonder. It was the little boy sitting beside her, oblivious to the world as he busied himself with the PDA held tightly in his hands.

His brown hair and blue eyes resembled his parents almost perfectly and sometimes from an angle he looked perfectly like his father. Pepper mentioned it a few times to her and she could always see that look of pride and that look of utter love that crossed the woman's expressions. It was the way her eyes softened and the way she always lowered her voice and smiled when she talked about the two of them. It was nice and she could only hope that maybe one day she'd have that too.

"What game is that?" she murmured and glanced down at the game he played.

"It's called Mage..."

"Oh..." she raised a brow and wondered curiously at the name. It didn't seem to fit the lines of words and numbers that splayed across the screen. She thought plainly at the hacking lessons Tony had been giving him and only hoped he wasn't hacking again.

"Daddy said it's an acronym," Jared answered softly as he furiously typed commands into the little PDA.

"Oh...for what?"

"Most Awesome Game Ever."

She smiled briefly at the comical thought of Tony's weird way of selecting names for things he invented. She still remembered that day just after Jared was born when Pepper told her how close they had come to naming Jared, Rocket Bullet Stark. Tony murmured he was only joking of course and that he would never name his kid after a weapon. But she knew better and she was sure Pepper knew as well.

"Your daddy made the game for you?"

"It was my Christmas present," Jared replied and smiled as if delighted by the simple thought of it.

She nodded and smiled politely as she watched him type furiously into the PDA. "So how do you play it?"

"Daddy said the aim of the game is to hack faster than Jarvis."

"What are you hacking into?" she asked sharply as she raised a brow and glanced awkwardly around them.

"Well, daddy said I'm not allowed to hack into servers without him watching over me so he said to practice when I'm bored I can race with Jarvis and see who hacks into the R.S."

"R.S."

"Random Server," he mumbled.

"And you like this game?"

He grinned widely and nodded. "It's really fun because the firewall daddy designed for the R.S. changes every time after Jarvis or I hack into it."

"Oh..."

"But I think Jarvis lets me win sometimes."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because he's annoying," Jared muttered distastefully.

"Aw...I'm sure he's okay sometimes."

"Daddy said he was annoying too but mummy always says Jarvis is nice."

She smiled briefly and murmured, "That's the kind of thing Pepper would say."

"And I once heard mummy scolding daddy for being annoying, but I think she was lying."

"Oh...why do you think that?"

"Because mummy never stays angry at daddy long," Jared mumbled as he continuously typed into his little PDA, "I think it's because-"

"Have you been bothering Natalie again?" Pepper mused softly as she emerged from one of the hallways.

"No," he said quickly, "I was just sitting here with her because she said I could and I-"

"Really, it's okay Pepper..."

"Jared my boy, daddy's back!"

She glanced toward the elevator to an underdressed Tony wearing nothing but his stark tight suit. The sweat and grease plastered to his face could only mean that he had just returned from a mission.

"Daddy!" Jared exclaimed as Pepper rolled her eyes at Tony's rather unattractive attire.

"A little under dressed for this office but nonetheless, presentable," Tony coughed and smiled at Pepper.

He was holding Jared in his hands, talking animatedly as Jared told him about how he managed to hack faster than Jarvis. She watched until the little family disappeared into Pepper's office and as she turned her eyes back to the computer screen she smiled.

They were so oblivious to the world around them but they were happy and that's all that mattered. She thought that if Fury would allow it, she would probably choose to protect them for as long as they wanted. They had something most families didn't, they had love and that was worth protecting.


	17. Jared's Guards part 1

**A/N: **Another update :) . Enjoy...

* * *

It was early when she woke up to the light flutter of his snoring and that very humbling voice of Jarvis.

"Good morning, Mrs Stark, today's weather-"

"That's really not necessary, Jarvis," she murmured softly and glanced over at Tony's rather oblivious form.

"As you wish, Mrs Stark," Jarvis replied.

"Thank you though," she mused and smiled politely toward the direction of the roof.

"If it isn't too much of an intrusion to your morning routine Mrs Stark, I wish to talk to you about Jared."

"Oh?" she raised a brow as she walked into the bathroom. "What's wrong with Jared?"

"I have noticed for a while now that his stress levels have elevated."

"That's understandable, Jarvis. He's just started school again after the holidays."

"I thought so too myself Mrs Stark, however, I compared Jared's current stress levels with those last year and it seems he is more stressed than he ever has been at school."

"What does that mean? Are they giving him too much homework then?"

"Nothing in that nature I'm afraid," Jarvis continued. "Jared has always been efficient at his homework."

"That's because he gets his knowledge from his father. But regarding his increase in stress levels maybe I should talk to him and see what the problem is."

"I have actually discovered the problem," Jarvis replied.

She raised a brow as her hand stilled at the face cream she had been currently applying. "What's the verdict?" she murmured curiously and yet worriedly at the same time.

"I hacked into the school's security cameras-"

"Jarvis, that's completely illegal. Did Tony put you up for this?"

"To a certain degree yes, but Mr Stark did not directly instruct me to do so unless completely necessary. You see, Mr Stark established a protocol for Jared when he was born," Jarvis explained as she moved onto brushing her teeth, "The protocol states that should Jared's safety be threatened then all necessary actions, illegal or legal shall be carried out to ensure that Jared's safety is restored."

She rolled her eyes at Tony's rather extravagant instructions. Only Tony would come up with something like that and justify that it was perfectly alright.

"And what did you find?"

"The common schooling term that identifies Jared's cause of elevated stress levels is 'bullied'."

"What?" she choked.

"I advise you not to be too concerned, Mrs Stark-"

"Be concerned?" she shrieked and quickly spat out the remaining toothpaste in her mouth. She rinsed without a second glance and made her way hastily back into the room. "How can I not be concerned? My son...My Jared is being bullied and by who? Oh my, we need Happy to be with Jared at all times at school and I need to-"

"I assure you, Mrs Stark, the entire situation has already been handled."

She froze and glanced to the ceiling, thinking the worst as she murmured, "What have you done?"

"Situation? What situation?" Tony slurred as he lazily sat up in bed.

She glanced at him and started, "Our son is being bullied at school and-"

"What? Jarvis!"

"The entire situation has already been handled, sir. I assure you I have made the necessary-"

"What is he talking about, Tony? Don't tell me you programmed Jarvis to eliminate anybody that even attempts to harm Jared," she mustered and narrowed her eyes at Tony.

Tony raised a brow and murmured, "Okay, eliminate is not exactly the word for it."

"Oh god," she sighed, "If the press gets their hands on this I'll be-"

"The press isn't going to get their hands on anything," Tony replied calmly, "There is no eliminating, nothing illegal of any sorts."

"Then how is the situation being handled?"

"Simple," Tony smiled.

* * *

"Do I really need all of this, mommy?" Jared sighed with a downcast gaze.

"Yes you do," Pepper murmured simply as she neatened the tie at his neck.

"But-"

"No buts," Pepper remarked shortly, "We already talked about this."

"Yes we did," Tony added and nodded, "Your safety is very important to your mother and I."

"But daddy," Jared sighed, "There's like ten of them."

"Well at least you won't get bullied anymore," his father murmured.

"Yes but-"

"It's okay, Jared," Happy added softly. "I'll keep the guards at a distance."

Jared sighed but thought hopefully, at least the girls in his class weren't going to bully him anymore. Not that he minded their bullying.


	18. Jared's Guards part 2

**A/N: **Hmm...After reading the reviews I realized that I didn't explain why Jared was bullied. Firstly I want to make it clear that he wasn't exactly bullied in a bad sort of way. Jared's form of bullying stems from the fact that he gets a lot of unwanted attention from his peers at school and also the press simply because he's the son of Ironman/Tony Stark and the great Pepper Potts. Therefore when a lot of kids start to want to be his friends, especially girls he doesn't like it because Jared is naturally a quiet sort of kid. Anyway, now that's cleared...heres the next chapter... :) enjoy...

* * *

She's never loved a man like the way she loves him.

It's the way he's always there for her, always eager to lend a helping hand even if he's exhausted, bruised and bandaged up. It's the way he takes the time between missions, inventions and simply fixing those suits to spend precious hours talking about computers, cars, maths and many other things with Jared.

There were times he was particularly eccentric and times when he was hopelessly romantic. But then there are times that he has stopped her world and stopped her heart with endearing words and memorable gestures. There are times he's made her realize just how blissfully wonderful it is to be completely and utterly in love.

And she would always love him, always find home when she was with him. But sometimes loving him just wasn't enough to forgive him, especially since Jared constantly asked how a baby squeezed out of a tiny hole in her body. If anything, she should have known that leaving it up entirely to Tony was a completely bad idea.

She sighed as she looked plainly at Jared who stared curiously up at her as if patiently awaiting her explanation.

"Well," she started softly as she carefully cooked the eggs for their breakfast. "The part about the baby coming out of a tiny hole is true-"

"But won't that hurt?"

"Yes, but-"

"I'm really glad I'm not a girl."

"Jared," she mustered and threw a sharp look at him, "It isn't all that bad. There's medicine and doctors that make it so that the mother feels no pain."

"But once the pain medicine goes away won't it hurt again? Also, how do you pee? Won't it hurt to pee?"

She sighed as she carefully placed the eggs next to the strips of bacon on Jared's favourite smiley face plate.

"It won't hurt when I pee," she explained as she pushed the plate in front of him. "And I'll be taking so much pain medication that I won't feel a thing."

"I don't like it," Jared mumbled, his brow narrowed as he started eating his bacon and eggs.

She smiled briefly at the childishness and pure innocence of her little Jared.

"You're so much like your father, you know," she mused as she ruffled his hair.

"Uncle Rhodey and Uncle Happy say that all the time," Jared replied shortly between eagerly consuming his breakfast.

"I'm not surprised," she smiled as she sipped on a cup of warm milk.

"But Aunty Natalie always says I get my heart from you, mommy," Jared added.

"Oh, she said that?"

"She said I'm lucky because I have really great parents," he continued with a smile.

"That's nice of her."

"And Declan -"

"Who's Declan?" she asked suddenly; worry streaming through her as she frowned.

"He's one of the guards that follow me around at school," he answered swiftly. "He said I was a good kid."

"Why?"

"Because I gave him some of my lunch."

She blinked at him momentarily before she sighed, "Jared, you know you're not supposed to-"

"But he was hungry, mommy..."

"I'm sure if he was hungry he would have gotten something to eat."

He sighed masterfully and added, "He didn't want to eat it anyway."

"You see-"

"So I ordered him to eat it because I knew he was lying."


	19. Jared's Guards part 3

**A/N: **Hmm... not much to add to the authors note this week but just wanted to drop a thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far. There's nothing better after posting up a chapter than reading all your lovely reviews. I'm really glad theres a lot of people out there who actually love this story. I love writing it and I absolutely love Jared. He's a unique little kid that I always thought would exist should Tony and Pepper ever have kids. I mean it would be really hard to imagine their kid being a brat or something. Because I think between Pepper's good sense and Tony's new and revised morals, I think they'd raise a pretty good kid. Anyway enough of my rambling and on with this weeks chapter... in Tony's POV this time.

* * *

"Tony..."

"Hmm..." he hummed as he turned away from the partly dismantled Mark 5 suit.

"Did you know Jared is making friends with the guards we hired for him?"

He blinked as he turned to her familiar form standing several paces from the glass door. She typed furiously into her Blackberry and he used the moment to reflect. He realized without much thought that he wasn't all that surprised at Jared. It was somewhat expected, he thought quietly as he watched her.

"Did you hear what I said?" she murmured and glanced from her Blackberry to him.

He smiled warmly and nodded. "I heard you..." he replied softly as he reached for the nearest rag to wipe away the grease from his hands. "And I'm not surprised if you really want to know."

"Well," she mused as she turned her eyes back to her Blackberry, "I suppose its okay to befriend them but you know how Jared gets sometimes."

"I'm sure he'll be alright, Pep," he murmured as he haphazardly tossed the rag across the bench. "He's a good kid and he knows what's right and what's wrong-"

"Tony, he's six."

"Yes well, he may be six but I'm sure if the occasion called for it he would probably be able to out think any of them," he added swiftly as he made his way to her.

"He already did," she added shortly.

He blinked and asked, "What did he do?"

"He offered some of his lunch to Declan-"

"Who is-"

"He's one of the guards that follow Jared around school. Anyway, Jared thought that Declan was hungry and offered him some food. But you know how those guards are. They're all about duty and what not, so of course Declan politely declined but Jared being our sweet little Jared ordered him to eat it instead."

He sighed as he lazily slipped his hands around her, "He really does get his common sense and heart from you. I wouldn't have really cared to be honest."

She frowned and muttered, "You always made it a point to remind me to eat..."

"Ah well, you see...you're a different story altogether."

"How so?" she asked. Her lips he noticed were curled at one end and her eyes were twinkling.

"You my dear have qualities that exceed a simple guard."

"So you're saying Happy is just simple."

"And a little rounded around the middle," he added swiftly.

"He's been working out."

"With Natalie I'm sure."

"You're diverting..." she stared at him pointedly.

"Well," he slurred suggestively, "Your wellbeing and ability to focus was a concern to me."

"Uh huh..." she nodded, unconvinced as she rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm dead serious," he added, "I needed you to be able to lead my life to me so I could busily attend to..." he paused suddenly as he became aware of the words he was going to say next.

He had never really said it aloud before. Never told her just how much remembering his past overwhelmed him with multitudes of guilt. He hated that he lingered unaware of her thoughts, of her love for him as he lost himself to women and alcohol. He hated that he never asked and never had the decency to respect her enough to clear out the 'trash' himself. But most of all he hated that when she loved him, he didn't love her in return.

He only thought for himself back then. He only thought about what he wanted and never about what he needed. But yet, despite everything he put her through and the years he spent mastering his ability to be a world class bastard, she still stayed. She still held him together and looked after him when nobody else would. She still handed him the pills in the morning after a heavy hangover or a night of simply partying way too much. She still measured the cough syrup for him when he was sick and cooked him chicken soup when his throat was sore. She still looked after him and loved him even though he didn't.

"Tony..." she whispered.

He glanced at her, touched by her softened gaze. He knew he would never have been Ironman if it wasn't for her. He wouldn't be the father he was to Jared or the caring husband who loved her like no other man ever could. If she never stayed, he would never have known how fulfilling it was to just hold her and kiss her. He would have never known how perfectly right it felt to just love her and know that no matter what, everything would be okay because he had her.

"If I..." he started softly, "If I could ever take it back and make it right and-and treated you the way you deserved to be treated," he sighed, "I would. I would do anything to erase everything I ever put you through and I-"

"It's all in the past," she said softly as she slid her hand up his chest till she gently pressed her palm at his cheek. "I knew what you were like before I started working for you so it wasn't a big shock or surprise, Tony."

"Pepper-"

"It was who you were and I accepted that."

"But you still stayed despite everything."

"Does it really matter, Tony?" she murmured. "We're here now and look at us. Look at Jared..." she smiled warmly and continued, "You're a better parent than I ever could dream to be Tony and trust me when I say this but before you became Ironman, I probably wouldn't have trusted you to look after a kid let alone raise one. But yet when Jared came along you fell perfectly into the role of the protective, loving father that a kid could only dream of having."

"You make me sound so perfect."

She smiled warmly and murmured as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "That's because you are."


	20. Constructive Colouring

**A/N: **Ahh... I'm terribly sorry for such a late update. Have been completely busy this whole week. I just started a new job on Monday and it takes about an hour just to get to work and an hour to get back home. So I haven't really had any time at all to sit down and do pretty much anything other than eat, sleep, wake up, repeat cycle. Thank god for weekends is all I have to say. This update isn't as nicely written as I would have liked it to be. It was rushed and not to mention a little bit shorter than I would normally like it to be. I just wanted to get a chapter out cause I feel so bad for not updating it sooner. I think from now on I'll update on weekends. Enjoy the chapter, it's written in Pepper's POV.

* * *

"Mommy..."

"Hmm..."

"I don't understand this."

"What don't you understand?" she asked softly as she glanced from her computer screen to the frowning expression plastered across Jared's face from the other table several steps from hers.

"Daddy always said to work problems out slowly and I did," Jared grumbled as he sifted through a few of his drawings.

She raised a brow as she stood up and made her way to him. Sometimes, it was in that brief moment as she walked toward him that she swore he looked like a miniature Tony working like he did many years ago. She smiled warmly at his serious expression and how innocent and adorable he looked sitting at the table that was once his fathers.

She sat herself down at one of the opposite chairs and stared down at the pieces of paper scattered across the table. She raised a brow as she reached for a particular drawing in the shape of a car.

"What are you trying to do?" she asked as she studied the drawing.

"I'm trying to calculate the fastest route Happy can take to drive me to school."

She blinked as she gazed at him wondering plainly how he went from drawing and colouring to calculating the fastest route to take to school.

"Jarvis said that the fastest route is this one," Jared mumbled as he pointed the route on the map. "But, because of traffic it slows us down."

"Where did you get all of this?" she asked.

"Jarvis found it for me," he answered as if it were the most obvious answer.

"But I thought you were colouring..." she frowned as she glanced at the various points he had placed on the map in front of him.

"I am," he answered softly, "I'm colouring the possible roads to take to school."

"Did you draw this map?" she asked, her eyes narrowed as she studied his well detailed drawing of Malibu.

He briefly glanced at her and nodded before he tapped the pencil at his head again. "Jarvis helped me..." he murmured as he narrowed his eyes at the map before him.

"When did you do all of this?" she asked, curiously wondering how he managed to find the time to even do this without her knowledge.

"This morning."

She raised a brow.

"Jarvis showed me a picture through the PDA daddy gave me," he explained as he lifted the rather large PDA to let her have a closer look.

"You've got a direct link to Jarvis in that PDA?"

He sighed and explained, "No, but daddy said if I ever wanted or needed Jarvis' help I can patch it through with the closest network in range."

She narrowed her eyes and mustered, "You hacked through Stark Industries?"

"Daddy said I'm allowed to only hack into Stark Industries when I want too but I'm not allowed to hack anywhere else unless it's an emergency."

She sighed and thought plainly, she was going to have a serious talk with Tony...again.


	21. The World as a Chess Board

**A/N: **Here's another update...it's a little short but it's an update so it calls for a cheer at least! I can't believe my weekend is almost over... back at work tomorrow again :( .

* * *

"Checkmate," Jared's soft voice bumbled through the moderately quiet plane.

He sighed at the minor disruption of peace before he glanced toward the direction of Jared's voice.

"It looks like he's won again," Pepper whispered to him.

He smiled, comfortingly tightening the hold around he said softly, "It seems that way."

"Has he ever actually lost before?" she asked quietly as she laced their fingers.

"A few times," he murmured into her hair, his eyes still fixed on Jared busily grinning at Happy who seemed to be deeply mortified.

"To who? Jarvis?"

"Me actually, but I highly suspect Jarvis lets him win all the time," he replied.

"That seems like a Jarvis thing to do," she commented.

"Jarvis can be sentimental when he wants to be...I'm not sure I ever programmed that in him. He probably learned it from all those movies he loves watching."

"You mean the Simpsons, Family Guy and the occasional comedy?"

"Okay, so maybe he doesn't get his sentimental values from television but I'm sure he picks it up somewhere."

"Maybe he learned it off you?" she asked curiously and leaned back to look at him properly.

He raised a brow as he turned to her. "Me? I hardly had any sentimental values when Jared was a baby."

"Pfft..." she snorted and added, "When Jared was born you were at your pinnacle of sentimental-ness, if there's even such a word that is."

"You really think so?"

She nodded as if in disbelief. "You were the more attentive parent than I ever was, Tony. Surely you knew that."

"Huh...it hardly felt like it... It was more like something that I..." he trailed off into silence as if searching for the right words before he continued, "Like something I had to do...something that I wanted to do."

She smiled warmly and slipped her hand onto the side of his cheek. "If there's one thing I've learnt about you after all this time we've been married, it's that you can be extremely endearing when you really want to be."

"It's a bit like chess I suppose," he mused and smiled when she rolled her eyes at the subject choice of comparison.

"I'm assuming you're the Queen?"

"Hardly," he replied swiftly.

"The Bishop?"

He narrowed his eyes at her for a moment before he mumbled, "I'm the Knight."

"-in shining armour?" she smiled politely when he glared at her.

"I'm untouchable if I am played correctly."

"Hmm... I wouldn't say you're untouchable."

"True, but I'll bow and kneel to my Queen if need be..." his eyes softened as he looked at her, "I'd even die for her or my King."

She smiled warmly at him as she murmured, "And who's the King?"

"Jared."

"The Pawn?"

"I'd like to say Rhodey but I'm sure he'd kick my ass if I did so I'd have to say Happy is the pawn."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, a little weak looking on the outside but when you look closely, the strongest piece on the board."

"Because they get to resurrect a piece if they reach the other end?"

He nodded and added, "Most of them will die but there'll always be one that'll make it eventually."

"The Castle?"

"You my dear," he smiled warmly.

"Oh," she raised a brow, "I was under the impression that I was the Queen."

"You are on my chessboard but on Jared's you're the Castle."

"I see...and why is that?"

"Because if need be, the Castle will perform the castling move in its last attempt to save the King."

"You've given this some serious thought, Tony... Is that what you've been doing the whole time I was sleeping earlier?"

"Actually no," he murmured as he pulled her closer, "Jared explained it to me the other day when we were playing chess."

"Jared came up with all of that?"

"Well," he started softly as he glanced at Jared again, "Jared started by saying that when he plays chess, he puts himself in the position of the King and strategizes how he should instruct his other pieces and place them properly on the board to protect him. I asked him who he thought the rest of the pieces were and he said you were the Castle and I was the Knight."

"And he said Happy was the pawn?"

"No, that one I actually just came up with a few minutes ago."

She sighed quietly and leaned against him before she murmured, "I can't believe you and Jared relate all of us to a chessboard."


	22. Why is a raven like a writing desk?

**A/N: **Hmm...well first of all, I'm sorry for not updating in time. It's been very hectic at work and all. I'm not very happy with this chapter at all. Mainly because it was rushed. I only hoped it turned out okay. I didn't have time to read over it as I normally do so forgive me if everyone in this chapter is way out of character. I'll do better next week I promise :)

* * *

The first thing she noticed after stepping away from the flashing cameras and endless reporters was the very fixed and stern stance of his back facing her. He stood at the other end of the room by the windows with eyes fixed outside. But it wasn't until she neared him did she catch the serious and resolute stare plastered across his face. He looked almost comical as he stood there with a hand firmly on the railings and the other scratching at his beard.

He looked distant and lost in thought as she watched him. She could only wonder what it was that was bothering him this time. She quietly hoped it wasn't another one of his missions again. She knew how excited he had been when he planned this vacation to Monaco to show Jared the real Monaco GP. Fury always did have the knack for needing his assistance at the worst times.

She glanced briefly at Jared who busied himself with another game of chess with Happy. They seemed to be head to head at another threatening match which she could only guess that Jared would win again. She smiled warmly at the bemused grin that Natalie threw over Happy's shoulder, the woman's eyes watching Jared as he moved his pawn forward. She sighed as she slipped a hand around her slightly rounded stomach and decided to make her way to the very serious Tony.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

He turned to her and smiled instantly. "I thought you were with the reporters," he murmured as she slipped a hand around his arm.

"I was," she said softly, "But I was getting a bit tired of all the flashing cameras."

"I can imagine," he smirked as he slid his arm around her before he pulled her close, "Its difficult being famous."

She rolled her eyes at him before she sighed and leaned into him.

"It's one of the many downfalls of marrying a superhero."

"Oh yes," she agreed sarcastically, "It's got nothing to do with the fact that said superhero named me CEO of his billion dollar company."

"Ah..." he sighed, "You are perfectly right. Nothing compares to Ironman's greatness."

She narrowed her eyes but yet smiled at him. "You're incorrigible."

"You've got to be proud of my greatness, Pepper darling..." he mused sarcastically.

"Sometimes," she replied swiftly, "But I think your ego is big enough to fill the world as it is."

"That's a serious blow to my undying greatness," he mumbled with a sarcastic yet serious tone in his voice.

"Yeah, yeah," she lulled indifferently, "Oh great one..."

"Greatest one."

"Speaking of the greatest...your great son over there is murdering Happy at chess."

"Jared's not going to lose no matter how hard Happy tries to beat him."

"I know."

"But anyway, speaking of Jared...he asked me something really weird earlier."

"I hope it wasn't about the baby again."

"No, but I sort of wished he did... at least I have an answer for that," he paused to scratch his chin.

"What did he ask you?"

"He asked me, why is a raven like a writing desk?"

"Alice in Wonderland?"

"What?"

"The Mad Hatter asked Alice that."

"Mad Hatter?"

"You've never heard of Alice in Wonderland?"

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"It's a story book for children, Tony," she informed him softly. "I think I remember Natalie giving him that book before we took off from Los Angeles Airport the other day."

"What's the answer then?"

"There isn't one."

"What the heck am I supposed to tell him?"

"That you haven't the faintest idea?"

"That's hardly my way of doing things. I'll ask Jarvis later."

She sighed.


	23. Jared's Answer to the Riddle

**A/N: **First and foremost, I am SOOOOOO TERRIBLY sorry for such a late update. I've been so busy and tired lately that I hardly had a moments peace to sit down and write this. But finally tonight I found some time to actually sit here and write this so here it is. Again I'm very sorry for the super late update. I promise to update weekly (on weekends) from now on.

* * *

The first thing he noticed as she stepped into their presidential suite was the very exasperated expression plastered across her face. Her eyes were distant and she seemed clearly deep in thought as she walked past him and disappeared into the adjoining bathroom.

He frowned as he followed after her.

"Pepper, is everything-"

He paused when he found her very narrowed eyes staring at him.

"Are you-"

"I just spent 30 mins listening to your son explain to me why a raven is like a writing desk."

"Oh..." he cringed slightly and instantly regretted having that deep and meaningful discussion with Jared earlier.

"Yes..." she replied sharply and glared plainly at him, "Oh..."

"Pepper," he started with that delightful grin he knew always weakened her knees.

"Oh no you don't," she murmured and glanced away from him. "Don't give me that look."

"Pepper, I just-"

"You just couldn't leave the riddle alone could you?"

"You have to admit that riddle really does make you wonder."

"Wonder..." she mustered, "Wonder what? The author even clearly stated that there is no answer for that riddle."

"Well, one can argue that-"

"Don't even go there..." she sighed and leaned against the counter.

"You know how Jared is," he started softly as he carefully stepped toward her.

"Curious and always questioning," she mumbled and rolled her eyes at him again. "Just like you."

He smiled widely before he placed a hand at either side of her. "Just like you actually."

"Like me? I don't see how."

"You question everything I do and you're always curious no matter how clear the picture is."

"Well," she eyed him carefully and said with a lingering smile, "When you marry a billionaire, a hero and a world renowned playboy, you really can't stop questioning things around you."

He winced and murmured, "That hit me right here." He briefly touched the left side of his chest.

"As it should," she said as she slid her arms up his chest, "A good reminding does you some good."

"Hmmm..." he lulled as he leaned toward her, "I believe I need some more reminding. But as for being good...Pepper darling, I've been good ever since I became Ironman."

"Hardly...the partying and drinking-"

"-was all a disguise and that was like 10 years ago."

"Eight years to be exact," she replied. "And it was your supposed last birthday."

He sighed and explained, "We already went through this...I couldn't find a fix for the Palladium poisoning and I was running out of options. I couldn't think of any other way to make Rhodey take the suit so I-"

She smiled warmly at him as she circled her hands around his neck. "Tony...you're unbelievably easy to stir sometimes you know."

He mimicked her smile after a moment of composing himself. If there was one thing he completely disliked it was being reminded of his past. It was remembering the things he put her through. The women she saw him with and the lifestyle he lived so blatantly without care in front of her. He hated how he dismissed her feelings and the care and utter respect she had for him even though he gave her none in return. He hated having her see him at his lowest because when you love someone you're supposed to be at your best.

"I know you've been good, Tony," she murmured softly when he stilled in silence. "That was never in question."

"You know...I'd buy the world if I thought it would be enough to show you how much I love you," he said softly.

"You don't need too," she replied. "You've given me your heart and your trust. You've given me Jared and now this one as well," she smiled as she was sure he felt the slight bump at her stomach.

He smiled and murmured softly, "Well, I may not have bought the world for you but Pepper darling, I think you've given me the world without even trying."

"Mhmm..." she smiled warmly as she leaned toward him.


	24. Conversations of Men

**A/N: **Work is finally starting to become relaxing...all that chaos and insane-ness of starting a new job is slowly starting to wear off. But yet I'm still tired/zombified/exhausted. Anyways, here's a slightly rushed chapter. Thanks for all the reviews so far everyone, it's great to know so many people love reading this story. It's really nice to come home after a long day at work and read all your reviews. :) ...This chapter's told in Happy's POV.

* * *

The rays of the morning sunlight were moderately warm as he sat in his neatly pressed suit beside the world renowned billionaire and the familiar Lieutenant. He sighed quietly at the topic of conversation that engulfed the two men beside him. They always seemed to be talking about cars, sports or women in one way or another. He was surprised Pepper hadn't caught them out on their particular choice of topics.

He turned his eyes from the scenic view of the ocean to the very resolute and oblivious Jared who seemed completely entranced by something crawling on the tree in front of his little eyes. The little boy who so perfectly resembled his father and mother was always a curious little boy. But he thought with a smirk that nothing could ever be simple where Tony was concerned.

"Jared," he called out as Jared slowly began to venture further away from them.

Jared stopped instantly and glanced back at him. "I was just looking at a butterfly," he called back.

"Well, not too far," he replied as Jared obediently nodded and turned his little eyes back to whatever it was that had suddenly caught his interest again.

"Damn, Tony...did you see that?"

He turned to glance at the familiar lieutenant.

"See what? Where?" Tony mumbled and glanced around with sudden interest.

"Her legs, hot damn," Rhodey murmured.

He rolled his eyes plainly, however glanced in the direction of the particular woman that had caught their eyes.

She looked moderately fine in his opinion. She just didn't have that brown hair and glistening eyes like Natalie did. He smiled at the thought of it as he glanced away from the blonde to find Jared touching the leaves on the tree.

"She's too blonde," Tony commented.

"Pepper's blonde," Rhodey noted.

"True, but she's not completely blonde like that one is and besides, I bet she has the brain capacity of a nut."

"Tony-"

" Pepper's more sophisticated than that."

"You never complained all those years ago-"

"That's different," Tony snapped. "I wasn't in love with Pepper back then...or rather, I didn't know I was in love with her..." he paused for a moment before he added, "But I think I've always loved her."

"Man, this is supposed to be a morning of checking out hot women... and you're going all cheesy on me."

Tony blatantly glared at the lieutenant beside him and mustered, "One day you'll find a woman that you'll love and when you do, you'll know where I'm coming from."

"I beg to differ, Tony. You were rather oblivious to women with any hint of intelligence-"

"Like I said," Tony muttered, "That was a long time ago and I-"

"Woah...woah...woah..." Rhodey hushed and eyed a particular brunette that passed by them.

"Okay, now that one is alright..." Tony murmured.

"Just alright?"

"Well she's got the legs to back it up, but the upper-"

"Boss, I think you should stop looking."

"What? Why?"

"Because-"

"Jared!"

He grimaced inwardly at the sound of Pepper's voice. He was sure she had heard Tony muttering away about that woman he and Rhodey saw moments ago. He sighed; he did try to warn him.

"It's okay Pepper, I'll watch him," Natalie's calm voice murmured behind him.

He smiled briefly to her before he caught Pepper's rather narrowed gaze directed at Tony.

"Coming, Happy?" Natalie called him softly.

"Oh...right," he coughed uncomfortably at the raised brow Tony directed him.

"Did you spot any good looking ones while I was gone?" he heard Pepper's calm and casual voice behind him.

He raised a brow this time and swiftly glanced back at Pepper who seemed to follow Tony's visual direction.

"Just a few," Tony murmured in response as if unconcerned with what he was implying.

"Her legs are alright but she's completely flat," Pepper noted.

His eyes bulged as Natalie's soft hand encircled his arm and slowly tugged him away.

"That's just insane," Rhodey mustered. "She's clearly got some cleavage."

"Hardly," Tony muttered swiftly. "That blonde we saw earlier had cleavage but she was just way to blonde."

"I'm blonde," Pepper murmured.

"You're different...I love you and that makes all the difference in the world, Pepper darling," he heard before Natalie succeeded in tugging him completely away from the three of them.

Happy frowned in disbelief.


	25. Room Service

**A/N: **I can't believe this... I thought I updated this chapter last weekend! I'm so terribly sorry for such a late update. I must have dreamt that I updated this story last weekend. I'm really sorry everyone for the late update. Here's the chapter! Also, thanks to Loca4Anime for the idea about Tony panicking when it comes to Jared's safety. Sorry again for the late update!

* * *

To him, it's a feeling that lasts forever.

It's the kind of feeling that lingers in the air around him and reminds him that nothing could ever be any more perfect. That no matter how rich he was and how he could so easily buy everything, money was one thing that could never buy this.

Money couldn't come close to that feeling he felt when he held Jared's little shivering body against his. It's the responsibility and the honour of knowing that the little child looked to him for comfort. It was pride that he felt that in the eyes of his son, he was the pillar of strength and the protector from all evil in the world.

He hardly noticed the crowd he suddenly drew at the fancy dress ball as Jared clung to him and quietly wept into his neck. He was too occupied with making sure Jared was okay that he didn't even notice Pepper rushing toward him with Happy and Natalie briskly in tow.

"I'm sorry, buddy," he murmured as he ran his hand up and down his little back. "I didn't mean to leave you for a moment there."

Jared's silent response mixed with hiccups and quiet weeping urged him to hold his little shivering body closer.

"What happened?" Pepper's hurried voice hushed beside him.

He glanced in her direction and sighed.

"I turned around for a moment to greet some people and when I turned around, Jared was gone," he explained as he nodded politely to Happy who quickly jumped into action to usher the bystanders away.

"Oh dear," she murmured. "Are you okay, Jared?"

He guiltily glanced to the floor as she leaned in to brush Jared's hair.

"I...I couldn't...couldn't see daddy..." Jared mumbled, "And...and I got scared...because all the...the people kept...kept looking at me."

"Come on..." he sighed as he pulled them to a stand. "Let's take this somewhere more private."

"Maybe we should just go," Pepper mused softly.

He shrugged and motioned slightly to her. "It's your call, Pep."

"I prefer room service anyway," she whispered softly as she glanced around at the extremely fancy setting around them.

He smirked and whispered softly in Jared's ear, "What do you say, Jared? Shall we ditch this place and have ice cream?"

"But...but its mummy's party," Jared hiccupped.

"But what if mummy wants some ice cream too," Pepper smiled beside him.

He smiled at the warmth visible in her eyes. She always knew how to make things better.

"I love you, you know," he said softly as they neared the exit of the building.

"Mr Stark, Mrs Stark may we offer any assistance?" a service man asked politely.

"It's alright. We've got it covered," he nodded.

"If you can, please pass our apologies to George," Pepper politely muttered to the service man.

"Absolutely, Mrs Stark."

"Thank you," she smiled before they walked out of the building.

"The hotel," Happy muttered to the driver as they entered the car.


	26. Inflight Turbulence

**A/N: **I'm really glad that despite my very unethical updating chapter standards that so many of you still love the story :) . Very sorry for that two week late update. Work has just been hectic and life in general does wonders to strain my soul. Thanks for all the lovely reviews though. They always light up my day. Anyway's, here's another update. Just a little Tony/Pepper romance. I was in a romantic mood when I wrote this.

* * *

The first thing she noticed as she awoke from the slightly turbulent flight was the light snores emitting from the man in front of her. His head was rolled back against the head rest and the left side of his hair was pressed and standing at the top of its ends.

She could still remember the day she sat here in this very seat and listened to him tell her that they would have such a better time celebrating his birthday in Venice. He had almost convinced her when he added that part about how they could enjoy Venice like they did last time. She had thought him to be going through one of his phases again. But little did she know at the time that he was slowly dying.

The thought warmed her heart for so many years now. For whoever knew that the world renowned playboy, Tony Stark, the billionaire would rather spend the last of his days with her than with some mindless busty fool and enough alcohol to drown a city.

Her thoughts dwindled into shades of warmth as she glanced to the little body curled up beside him. The sudden warmth burned through her veins again as she stared at awe between the two of them. Their little Jared had his mouth slightly opened at a sideways angle and his face was half pressed into his father's shoulder.

They looked so much alike with their identical bangs that brushed their eyes and that very boyish and innocent look on their faces as they slept. She was sure Tony looked exactly like Jared when he was younger.

She smiled again as she turned to gaze out the window and lightly brushed her hand over the slight bump at her stomach. She could never tire of watching them sleep. They filled her days with wonder and there was no telling what mischief father and son could get up to when they were bored.

She kept her eyes on the window as she heard a familiar shifting and a soft muffled yawned. The next thing she knew a warm body crept up behind her and she smiled again.

"The turbulence woke you up too?" she murmured quietly as she watched the familiar flickering lights of the aircraft wing.

"Mhmm…" he hummed into her neck before he whispered, "Not really. It was all that staring you did that suddenly made me conscious of my good looks."

"Ahh…vanity I see."

"It gets the better of us," he sighed.

She smiled as she glanced back at Jared who seemed more comfortable as he lay sprawled out between two seats.

"You shouldn't be awake so late…it's not good for the baby" he mumbled, his voice slightly muffled as he pressed his lips at her shoulder.

"I know…but it's hard to sleep with all the turbulence," she whispered and turned to him. "And besides, it's nice to watch you two sleep."

"Uh huh…and my rocking new hair style too?"

"That one I like," she smiled as he glared. "It gives your good looks a very nice finishing."

"You're just lucky I love you," he mumbled before he gently kissed her.

She smiled and leaned closer to him.

"More than lucky…" she whispered as she glanced at Jared. "Sometimes I think…too lucky."

"Nah…" he whispered, "I'm more lucky because you love me."

"We're both lucky then," she murmured.

He sighed and drew her closer as he comfortably relaxed into the seat.


	27. The Smell of Home

**A/N: **Thank you for all the lovely reviews. Slightly a day late from the promised update over the weekend but anyway's here it is all in it's mighty form. Just a bit of comical stuff with Pepper and Jarvis.

* * *

If there was one thing she loved and could never live without, it was the smell of home. It was the comfort of lying in their bed and waking up to that oceanic scene that made her life completely and utterly perfect. It was the light snores behind her and the morning tone of Jarvis' voice streaming through the speakers that made her sigh.

She turned her eyes from the window and smiled as her oblivious husband slept as if there were no tomorrow. His hair spiked at every corner and that slightly agape mouth did his billionaire flare an injustice. She could only grin in amusement as he shifted and snored even louder.

"You have no scheduled meetings for today Mrs Stark. Shall I schedule you in for your monthly pregnancy check-up with Dr Carmichael?" Jarvis asked

"Couldn't you do it, Jarvis?" she mused softly as she turned to gaze out the window again, "I really don't feel like leaving the house today."

"Mr Stark has failed to install the proper facilities to perform proper 3D scanning checks. But I can perform a routine ultra sound and blood test check if you wish."

"That sounds good, Jarvis. Schedule that in some time after lunch…I'm sure Tony will like to sit in on that knowing him."

"I'm afraid Mr Stark has prior engagements after lunch," Jarvis muttered casually.

"Oh?" she raised a brow. "What might that be?"

"Mr Stark was very brief in detail late yesterday evening but he did mention something to do with Jared and aeronautical sciences between the hours of 1pm and 2pm today."

"I see…" she sighed. "That explains why both of them had their faces pressed to the windows when we landed at the airport last night."

"Ah yes, after Mr Stark and yourself wished Jared a good night he spent the better hours of the evening recollecting his entire experience during landing and taking off in an aircraft."

"Hmm…I don't see how it's any different from all the other flights he's been on."

"The same question crossed my mind," Jarvis murmured. "But I theorize that children always seem to be interested in something different at one time or another. They can never seem to simply rest on one subject."

"That sounds awfully familiar," she mumbled with a smile.

"Very much so," Jarvis added with a hint of amusement in his tone.

"I remember last year when he seemed incredibly adamant in hacking."

"Oh he still is I'm afraid."

"Hmm…Tony hasn't spoken much of it and I haven't found them in the bathrooms hacking away at one of the functions lately."

"Ah…that's because Mr Stark has installed a hand held hacking device in his remodelled iPhone of which Jared is close to mastering."

"Apple won't like that."

"They already don't."

She raised a brow and continued, "Why haven't I heard anything about this?"

"Mr Stark said you were far too busy to waste your time on menial details. He also envisaged that should he tell you then a lengthy lecture was in order."

"Well…" she hummed slightly as she turned to gaze at him, "He is very right."

"I assume I should schedule in a lecture at 4pm, Mrs Stark?"

"Yes…"

"Mr Stark will not like this."

"He doesn't have to," she smiled.

"Mr Stark will be very vexed with me," Jarvis sighed.


	28. Aeronautics

**A/N: **I know... I'm a tad late in updating this again. I do apologize. But the super long Easter weekend is coming up and I've taken today off from work. I'm getting my wisdom teeth removed and I'm quite nervous. But nonetheless here is the long awaited update. It's short as always and probably not as well written as I would like it to be. But its the best I can do for now. I'll have tons of time over the super long weekend to write the next chapter so I'll make chapter 29 longer than normal too :). Also, any requests are welcomed.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon as she followed Happy through the many hallways, lifts and stairs of the Stark Industries office building. It was a day like every other.

She waddled a few times, slowed and paused as her eyes grazed over the steps in front of her. He offered his hand a few times and she gladly welcomed all the help she could get especially with the rather swollen stomach ahead of her.

She wondered as they hurried their way to the car what Tony was probably up to at this particular moment. She knew Jared was home from school today and she hoped they hadn't gone up to mischief again. She was feeling particularly tired today given that she had just reached her sixth months in pregnancy.

Her legs were beyond sore from walking and her feet were about to fall out of their sockets. But the instant she leaned back against the chilly leather seats of the car she sighed and relaxed for the casual car ride home.

"You know these are one of those days where I feel like the dead, Happy," she said softly as if to dispel the car of its mortal silence.

Happy glanced briefly at her through the rear view mirror and smiled. "I can imagine you are Pepper."

"Sometimes I just wish Tony could take a turn and bear this stomach for the day."

"I'm sure if there was a way Tony would have figured it out by now."

She rolled her eyes and muttered, "Yeah I suppose so. But right now he's probably too busy teaching Jared the fundamentals of aeronautical science."

"Oh…Is that why they had their faces plastered to the window when we landed the other night?"

She nodded and sighed. "That's all Jared talks about now. It's either plane this or air craft that or, mummy did you know why a plane can fly?"

Happy chuckled.

"Sometimes I think he grows up to quickly for his age."

"Well, he is Tony's son…" Happy noted.

She smiled and added, "And despite the horror that Jared and Tony are probably getting up too right now, I wouldn't have it any other way."

Happy laughed and added, "I'm sure Jarvis would agree with you."

"Well thankfully Jarvis is on my side most of the time."

"Jarvis was built on logic and reason and you're normally the more logical one when Tony is involved."

"I'll agree with you there," she smiled.

* * *

They arrived at the mansion minutes later and she gazed her eyes over the windowed home and sighed. There was nothing better than coming home after a long day at work.

"I'll get that," Happy mumbled hurriedly as he stepped from his door and rushed around the car.

She smiled, watching as he quickly rushed to open the car door for her.

"You know," she began as she stepped from the car, "You really don't need to do that. I can manage opening the car door, Happy."

"I know, I know…" he smiled, "But it's the least I can do."

She raised a brow and asked politely, "Tony said something to you, didn't he?"

Happy chuckled and nodded nervously.

"Sometimes I think that man just over reacts," she grumbled as they made their way to the front door.

"He cares about you, Pepper."

"Oh I know," she smiled and added, "But sometimes I think he just takes it a bit too far."

"He means well," Happy said softly before he punched in the code in the keypad beside the front door.

"I know he does," she murmured.

"Mommy!"

She glanced to the side as a little body flung his arms around her leg.

"Hey Jared," she laughed as he beamed up at her.

"Daddy built a really cool airplane for me."

Her eyes widened.

"I think I'll go now," Happy murmured softly.

She barely noticed Happy walking away as a sudden wave of fear overwhelmed her with the ideas that were surly bursting through Tony's head. She could only imagine the amount of horror that Tony could come up with.

She groaned at the thought and demanded pointedly, "Where's your father?"

"In the basement."

She narrowed her eyes determined to give the two of them the ever waiting 'lecture'.


	29. Silly Parents

**A/N: **Awwwww...Easter's over already. I had so much fun sleeping half of the time after the removal of my wisdom teeth. Those pain killers are really effective when it comes to knocking the daylights out of me. I think I slept through the entire Easter holiday lol. Anyways, here's the next chapter. It's not as long as I wanted it to be but after being in pain half of the time and being half dazed due to those pain killers I think I did a pretty good job with this chapter. It's in Jared's POV... Also, thanks to roguelane for the idea of this chapter :)

* * *

He liked going to the doctor's office but it wasn't so that he could get medicine and feel better. It was for the lollies his doctor always gave him when he stuck his tongue out and let the doctor listen to his heartbeat. He loved that grape flavoured jelly baby lolly that he normally chewed for a total of twenty seconds before swallowing. It was the best part of visiting the doctors to him.

But as he sat beside his father in the strangely blue and pinkish coloured waiting room all he could think about was airplanes and rocket ships. He really didn't think much about jelly baby lollies or why they were even at the doctor's office today. He just couldn't stop thinking about the way they ignited and flew as if they were as light as birds. He loved the way they would glide in the sky and soar like all those pigeons he always loved to watch fly around.

He held the little plastic air plane toy in his hands and studied it closely. It was the modelled air craft of the F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet that his father built for him yesterday. He loved the way the angled tail at the back stuck out in a 90 degree angle as if emphasising the Jet Fighter's sharp and unique design. He stared closely at the cockpit and wondered dreamlessly what it would be like to sit inside one.

He glanced wearily at his father who seemed serious in thought and wondered if his father would build him an actual F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet if he asked nicely. He thought diligently for a moment as he carefully weighed the theory forming in his head. Maybe if he was a really good boy today then his father might just build him one. A proper F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet not the small modelled version sitting in his hands.

"Mr Stark, you may come in now…"

He glanced from the jet fighter in his hands to the doctor who smiled politely at him. He felt his father lifting him from the seat and he quickly pocketed the keychain sized jet fighter and eagerly watched as they followed behind the doctor.

"Where are we going?" he asked curiously as his hand aimlessly played with the duck tail of hair behind his father's head.

"We're going to see mummy," his father replied softly and smiled briefly at him.

"What about the baby?" he asked softly.

"We'll get to see the baby on a computer screen," his father answered.

"Is it Jarvis?"

His father chuckled briefly and murmured softly before they entered the room, "No, not Jarvis. Not as good as Jarvis but it should do I suppose."

He smelt something curiously medicine like as they entered the room and he glanced around. But as his gaze captured the sight of his mother laying on her side on the bed he suddenly forgot about that smell. She seemed a little flushed as they neared her and he wondered with sudden concern if she was okay. His father sat them down on a chair beside the bed and started talking to the doctor. He hardly paid attention to what the doctor was saying as he stretched a hand to his mother and slipped his hand in her larger and warmer hand.

He gazed seriously at her and murmured softly, "Are you okay, mummy?"

She smiled warmly and said softly, "I'm perfectly okay, Jared. Listen to the doctor now."

He nodded and turned his eyes from her to the doctor.

"-spoke to your wife at several lengths about wearing those high heels of hers and I think it's time to switch to flats for a while now."

He watched as his father turned slowly to his mother and beamed a toothy grin. "Pep, darling…I did tell you so."

His mother rolled her eyes and swatted his father's shoulder lightly. "Don't even start, Mr Stark."

"You see how abusive she gets, Dr Carmichael," his father mused in an innocent tone.

"Pft…" his mother snorted in an undignified tone. "That's hardly abuse at all if you compare it with all those bullets you dodge on a daily basis."

"Ah…that's entirely different from the slap of death from Pepper the great," his father remarked with a pointed finger, "Besides when I'm dodging those bullets I am encased in 100% titanium metal." His father smiled proudly.

His mother narrowed her eyes plainly and murmured gently, "It's okay…I'll slap of death you later."

"Hmm…" his father hummed and glanced wearily at him.

He grinned at his father.

"Oh don't you take mummy's side, you're supposed to be on my side," his father murmured and narrowed his eyes at him. He grinned wider.

The doctor chuckled and smiled at him before he said softly, "Are your parents always like this, Jared?"

He smiled and nodded. "They're a little bit silly sometimes," he added as his father sarcastically feigned shock.

"Ah…well, all the best parents are," the doctor laughed.


	30. Only Pepper

**A/N: **Yay...I actually managed to update on time. Hope you guys like this chapter. It's longer than usual and a little bit different from normal. It starts off in Jared's POV then moves onto Tony's POV. Enjoy...

* * *

He watched with curiosity as his father quietly slipped out the slightly ajar door of the spectacularly decorated ballroom. He frowned as he kept his eyes at the door expecting to see his mother or the familiar Uncle Fury following his father out the door. But instead he noticed his Uncle Fury sitting with a group of familiar men at the other side of the room completely oblivious to his father's sudden departure.

He narrowed his eyes as he peered around the room in search of his mother. It was easy enough to find her as he remembered having seen her dressed in blue earlier at home. He found her sitting by the bar table by herself which he thought to be completely strange. His father had never left his mother to sit alone before. In every event they had ever been too he always remembered his father being explicitly beside his mother.

Of course there were the times his father disappeared with him into the men's bathrooms to teach him how to hack. Then there were the times when his father grew positively bored with the people and decided to disappear with him into the courtyard or the nearest stoned chair to pass the time staring at the stars.

He narrowed his eyes at the curious thought of what his father could be possibly doing outside. He hoped his father hadn't decided to watch the stars again because he would have very much have liked to watch the stars too. He glanced to his Uncle Happy who seemed busily talking to his Aunty Natalie. They seemed rather engrossed in conversation that they hardly noticed he was even there.

He briefly thought about disappearing from the table and finding his father outside. But as he glanced briefly at his mother he paused when he found her warm gaze staring at him. She smiled warmly and gave him a small wave. He waved in return and smiled. The thought of disappearing from the table suddenly seemed like a horrible idea. He was sure he would get 'the talk' if he disappeared outside without letting his Uncle Happy or Aunty Natalie know.

He glanced one last time at the door for a full minute before he sighed when his father didn't step through them. He glanced to the PDA down in his hands and smiled at the thought of that new airplane flight game his father built for him. The fleeting thought of his father disappearing through those doors suddenly seemed far away as he lost himself in the world of air flight.

* * *

Tony was a man that remembered many things.

He remembered how easy it was to walk up to a bar and charm the closest sparkle eyed brunette or blonde. He remembered how he'd take a sip of his scotch to let the taste of alcohol linger on his lips. He knew how easy it was to slur his words and narrow his eyes as if to simply convey in silence what it was he wanted. He knew when to laugh, when to joke and when to lean in just before he was sure he made the catch.

It was always a game to him. Always a gamble that he always seemed to win. And for the briefest of moments as he stood staring at the brightly lit courtyard he wondered if he still had it in him. He glanced from the view of the courtyard to the slightly ajar door leading into the ballroom and smirked.

He started stalking around the ballroom in search for any. He smiled casually as he passed ministers, generals and those alike. He hardly liked their company as they talked far too simply for him and he had greater important things in mind at the moment anyway. He passed a few laughing women but instead of choosing any of them he decided to seek out a far more regal type. The type that he'd lose himself completely at simply staring at her.

It had been a full ten minutes before he nearly decided to give up the entire notion of even trying. But it all grew to a grand halt when he saw one sitting by the bar table, dressed in blue, blonde curls dancing around her shoulders as if she were perfection itself.

He had the briefest thought of his Pepper staring at him, wondering what it was he was doing. He didn't think it would displease her all that much. He didn't think she would really mind when he stepped up to the woman in blue.

He sipped his scotch and pocketed his free hand as he neared her. He stepped toward her and left barely an inch between her back and his chest. He leaned down ever so slightly and whispered into her ear.

"Hello, beautiful," he slurred softly before making sure to lightly brush his lips past the lobe of her ear.

She hardly tensed as he lightly pressed his back against hers as if shadowing over her. She only leaned back into him and warmly pressed the back of her neck onto his shoulder. She sighed as if their scandalous position were the most casual thing to do and whispered in return, "Trying to charm me, Mr Stark?"

He laughed quietly as he glanced around the room at the faces of many generals, ministers and the particular governor standing at the other end of the room. It was a far too imperial type of party for his likes and he hoped with his actions he'd lower its class to something more of his likings. But amongst the generals, minsters and governor, he spotted his Jared. Jared sat beside a dream eyed Happy and a sleepy looking Natalie. He felt slightly guilty for having left Jared entirely in their hands but sighed because he had pressing matters to deal with right now.

"It's been a while," he murmured in her ear again as he lowered his half empty glass of scotch beside her barely sipped drink. "A man like me has to maintain certain skills you know."

"Oh yes," she breathed as she reached for her glass. She sipped it slowly and turned on her chair. Her lashes flickered ever so sensually as if to encourage him further.

His breath froze in his throat as he wondered briefly, wasn't he supposed to be the one charming her?

"Lost for words?" she asked, the tone in her voice lingered with unspoken words. "I don't believe a woman has ever reduced you to silence before."

"My wife has," he said softly as the awkwardness suddenly overwhelmed him. The simple thought of her reduced his arousal to a complete and utter halt.

Her expressions quivered and he was sure she caught the sudden disinterest he felt toward her.

He lowered his tone and muttered, "This doesn't feel right."

She laughed a hearty laugh and slid her arms slowly until the palm of her hand was pressed against his cheek. "Tony, it's just me. How does that not seem right?"

He blinked for a moment before he murmured, "Because I love you, Pepper and I couldn't imagine flirting with anybody else."

"But you're flirting with me."

"I referred to you as if you weren't you…It just…doesn't feel right," he tried to explain before he sighed hopelessly, "I'm sorry."

He watched as her eyes softened when he smiled warmly at her. He felt her hand slipping from his face to only slide around the back of his neck.

"I love you, you know," she whispered in his ear as he embraced her.

He turned his lips to her neck and pressed a warm and lingering kiss at the nape of her neck. He couldn't think of flirting with anyone else or using his charms much like he did a long time ago with anyone else but her. Because now it seemed perfect with her swollen stomach pressed against him and his arms encircled around her as he kissed her as if there were no tomorrow.

She pulled back after he kissed her and whispered in his ear, "It was your idea in the first place."

"Can't help it," he murmured in return. "All these ministers, generals and what nots…they bring out the worst in me."

She laughed sweetly in his ear as he wondered how he could never realized how much he loved her the day he met her. He wondered how it could have possibly taken him a decade to realize how much he had completely and utterly loved her.

But admits his fleeting thoughts he did remember the day he realized he loved her. He was completely and utterly drunk but yet a part of him knew the moment he gazed at her. It hurled at him like a fiery ball of sudden discovery as love to him was always the most unthinkable thought. But yet there he was in his might and richness, hazed over the table staring at her sleeping beautifully on his couch. It was a frightening, strange but yet, right feeling. It was something that overwhelmed him with warmth and filled him with the deepest desire to keep her and protect her until the day he died.

And he did, until his little Jared came along.

He remembered the first time she laid Jared in his arms. His little eyes gazed up at him as if he were the most wondrous thing in the world and it was then he remembered he fell in love all over again. He remembered thinking how something so small, so genuinely beautiful could be anything part of him. He was once a drunk, a sleep around and a hopeless fool. He remembered when he gazed at her with tear glazed eyes as if wondering how anybody could ever love him enough to present him with such a gift. He remembered having whispered to her how she could ever find it in her heart to love him even after everything she had seen him gone through. She merely whispered that if he loved her and cherished her and stood in honour beside her for the rest of their lives then she would love him to the very end of the world. He remembered having swelled with warmth at her words and as he whispered he loved her, he meant it, forever.

"I love you too, Pepper," he murmured, the memory lingered in his mind as he leaned down to kiss her again.


	31. Family is Everything

**A/N: **I am so very sorry for updating this so late. I hope I haven't lost a ton of readers but at any rate here is the update. It's short but it's something.

* * *

She stirred from her dreamless slumber to the dimmed sunlight emerging from the horizon. Its orange glow radiated through their room and very rudely announced his empty space beside her. She sighed loudly at the thought of him being at another one of his missions. She could only imagine how sluggishly sweaty and exhausted he would be when he returned presumably later in the day.

She had spent the entire week hoping that they would be granted a Saturday morning of simply laying together in blissful silence enjoying the sounds of the ocean crashing on the shore bed. But as the seconds ticked pass and coldness grew beside her she gave up all hope of him returning any time soon to enjoy the remaining hours of the morning.

She grunted and pulled the blanket over her head at the thought of how neither her persuasions nor kind requests to the great Fury made any difference in lessening his missions due to the final stages of her pregnancy. It seemed that the general was completely oblivious to her rather implied request to simply 'keep Tony at home more and not spending half of his time battling in the other side of the world'.

"You're cute when you grunt, you know…"

She halted her thoughts and kept completely still to determine whether she had even heard what she thought she heard. At the sound of silence she was sure she had completely made his voice up and highly likely had fallen asleep and was currently dreaming.

"I know you're awake," his familiar voice murmured again.

With haste she flung the blankets from her and turned as quickly as she could turn her swollen stomach. She saw him sitting on her chair with his legs apart and his elbows resting on his knees. He looked devilishly handsome wearing his semi-tight suit he normally wore inside his Ironman suit. But strangely enough his eyes were warm, curious and yet strangely filled with sadness.

She frowned as she softly murmured, "You're home?"

His lips curled as his eyes softened at her. "Yes, I am."

"How long have you been home?" she asked.

"A while," he replied softly as he lowered his gaze to the floor.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she stretched her hand across and slipped her hand into his.

He glanced slowly back at her as he replied, "The mission I went too last night…I met this guy, he was showing me around the village, explaining the ambush points…that kind of stuff…and when we returned to his hut, or tent, whatever you want to call it. I noticed he had this picture of a little boy…probably around the same age as Jared. I thought maybe he was one of those ex-military that Fury had hired to sit out there and I asked him when he was going to see his boy again…." he sighed and glanced down at their intertwined fingers, "And he told me in this very sad tone that he didn't need too because they were already here with him."

"Oh, Tony…"

"He lost his wife and his son to the very machines that I built to supposedly save the world," he muttered disgustedly. "And I can't help…I just can't…" he trailed off into silence for a moment before he continued, "I just can't help but feel like I should be sad. But then I come home and I see you and Jared, and even though I should be sad, I'm happy. Am I being selfish?"

Her expression softened as she slowly swung her legs over the side of the bed and slipped her other hand together with his. She nudged him slightly and waited until he glanced up at her.

"You're just human, Tony…" she murmured softly. "We've all made mistakes and some worse than others but what counts is that you're trying to rebuild a better world. You're dodging rockets, bullets and all kinds of insane weapons not for money or for personal glory. You're doing what you do to help others and that's all that matters."

He smiled after a momentary silence. "I really do love you, you know," he murmured softly.

"Well I certainly hope so," she smiled, "I am a walking whale after all."

"No," he whispered, "You're beautiful."


	32. Jared's Experiment

**A/N: **:) Thank you to all my readers who are so patient with my unpredictable updates. Life is a lot more hectic now that I'm working and I hardly get the time to actually sit down and write. But anyway here's the update and also thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 31. I'm sorry I haven't been able to provide personal feed back as I normally do with all the reviews. I assure you personal feedback for all reviews will resume with this chapter. Thanks everyone! This chapter is in Jared's POV. enjoy.

* * *

For a long time he always knew that there was something really special between his mother and father. It took him a while before he actually realized just what exactly was so special between them. Because just when he thought he had it all figured out, he realized it wasn't all those smiles, the laughs or all those disgusting kisses that made them special. It was something so much more than that.

There were times he thought it was all rather silly because he was sure that whatever it was that was special could only be a finite type of special. Surely they didn't need to make whatever it was that was special even more special than it already was. The entire notion confused him as he aimlessly pondered theory after theory, week after week.

It had even become a little experiment.

The first thing he noticed were the smiles they shared. The way his mother's eyes glowed and the way his father's eyes softened. It was the way they locked eyes and shared that smile that they only seemed to savour for each other. And it didn't matter whether it was in the morning at breakfast or whether they were at another one of his mother's dinner functions. It didn't seem to matter whether the world was watching them or whether it was just him in his checker pattern pyjamas waiting patiently to be tucked in for the night.

Then it was in every laugh they shared. It was the way his mother's lips curled and the way her face shivered with pure happiness when she laughed with his father. It was the way his father mimicked her expression and laughed with the purest of delights. It was as if their laughter alone was music to each other's ears.

Sometimes he wondered if they knew how oblivious they were. He wondered if they knew that even at the most glamorous dinner functions or the most expensive restaurants that they still seemed oblivious to everything around them. He wondered if they even listened to the people behind the cameras shouting for them to pose or if they even paid attention to the cameras when they were flashing in their direction at all.

He was sure it was the way they looked at each other. The way his mother's eyes warmed with one simple glimpse of his father walking through those doors after a long day at another one of his missions. It was the way his father looked at her as if she were the only woman in the entire room at one of those dinner functions they were attending. It was as if they had eyes only for each other no matter where they were. It didn't matter if they were at a dinner or just at home having their family dinner.

But it was also the way their voices lowered when they spoke to each other. The way his mother's tone grew calmer and the way she seemed suddenly at ease even though she had spent an entire day at dull meetings. It was the way his father's voice lingered an echo at every end of his sentences when he spoke to her as if he were quietly sending secret messages through the mere tone of his voice. He was sure there was always some hidden meaning or some secret language they spoke that only they could understand.

He thought curiously one evening that perhaps whatever special thing it was had something to do with their smiles, laughs, looks and voices. He thought maybe it was a combined accumulation of all four that somehow summed up into that special thing. And for a few days following that thought he was sure he had it all figured out.

That was until he happened to barely peek into his parent's room that one early morning to witness his father hugging his mother. They seemed slightly awkward looking from the way his mother's pregnant stomach jutted into his father's side. But his father seemed completely ignorant of the uncomfortable looking protrusion at his side. Instead his father looked at ease and as if just standing there holding his mother were the most natural thing to do.

It was then that he realized that the special thing between them was not their smiles or their laughter, the tone of their voices or the way they looked at each other. The special thing between them was them and them alone. It was the way they seemed to complete each other's world. It was as if they were two puzzles coming together to complete one bigger puzzle.

"Enjoying the view, Jared?" his mother's comical tone murmured softly.

He widened his eyes as he watched his mother turned slowly to him. He noticed how warm and welcoming her gaze was and instantly was sure he was not about to endure a 'talk' about spying on them.

"Ahh…Jared my boy," his father greeted smiling widely as he outstretched his hand and murmured, "Come join us."

He beamed a grin as he quickly forgot about his theory about his parents. It seemed to almost drift away in his thoughts as his father playfully tickled him.


	33. It all started at 6:52am part 1

**A/N: **I am dreadfully, extremely, completely and utterly sorry for this super, super late update. Life has been rather hectic these past few weeks and trying to accomodate myself with work and life in general is seriously challenging. I starting to miss being a kid... things were so much easier. Anyways rather than dwelling in the past I'll get on with this update :) . It's a short one, but it's a cliffy so expect a update relatively soon... most likely by next weekend. Thanks for the lovely reviews!

* * *

It all started at 6:52am that morning.

She awoke to Jarvis' routinely wakeup call and much as she normally loved his enthusiastic chimes about it being a lovely sunny day, this was one particular day when she just really couldn't give a damn. She remembered having grunted in response to his cheery awakening before sitting up and swinging her legs over the side to begin another mundane day. However the next thing she knew between the blur of hasty waddling and the momentous leap she took over that rug she always somehow managed to trip on, she found herself face buried in that dull white toilet bowl.

She presumed last night's takeaway had encouraged this morning's discomfort or perhaps that double white chocolate and triple dark chocolate ice cream Jared introduced her too. She did find that ice cream sickeningly sweet and torturingly creamy. Although at the time when she actually consumed it, she couldn't think about anything other than how wondrous it tasted.

She half-heartedly checked this morning as being another one of those extreme morning sickness days as she threw up the contents of her stomach. She ignored the fragrant sour smell emerging from the toilet bowl and instead pushed her thoughts toward the day ahead.

She had a weekly board meeting at nine and a follow up meeting with finance at eleven. She had that torturous Friday afternoon meeting at two and that meeting with Tony at four. The meeting that normally resulted in her sitting in her office receiving the world's best foot rub from her one and only. He normally pampered her with flowers, chocolates or promises of much more else for that evening ahead. He always knew how to make her Friday afternoon's enjoyable.

She sighed as she reached for the nearest hand towel. But much to her surprize a familiar hand outstretched in front of her and the next thing she knew, she was being lifted from her position on the bathroom floor. She caught his eye for a fleeting moment as he gently holstered her onto the toilet seat. She smiled warmly at him as he reached to wipe the warm towel at her mouth. She wondered quietly how he had managed to warm up the towel without her even knowing.

"Thanks…" she murmured.

"Nah," he mused softly to her, "it's part of my job."

The rest of her morning passed by as it normally did. She enjoyed a bath Tony drew up for her followed by a nice breakfast she highly suspected Jared had prepared. She was sure Tony at least knew that the soup spoon was not used for cereal or she hoped anyway.

She made it to the office by nine and much to the greatness of being the companies CEO it really didn't matter if she was late to her own meeting. Instead she was greeted with polite smiles and kind words of how her pregnancy had added a 'glow' to her features. It was the normal small talk she endured with being in the spot light all the time. In the past she probably would have cared about being late. But given the rude awakening and slight uneasy feeling of this morning she once again, couldn't give a damn.

The meeting went smoothly as she had predicted. There was something about being fully eight months pregnant and being in her peak of moodiness that made the entire staff of Stark Industries agreeing with everything she had to say. She highly suspected that Tony had something to do with it. But in all honesty she didn't really mind. There was something about being pregnant and accommodating the worst ever bouts of morning sickness that completely derailed her normal work ethics. She only hoped she wasn't as bad as Tony.

She found herself sitting quietly staring out the window at noon feeling completely uneasy and at odds with what exactly was causing her to feel so strange. She frowned as she glanced downward at her swollen stomach. She was sure it wasn't that orange juice she drank earlier or that muffin Natalie bought for her.

"Pepper, I've got those reports for finance," Natalie's familiar voice stumbled into the room.

She turned slightly and smiled at the younger female.

"Are you okay?" Natalie asked with concern in her tone.

"I'm alright…" she managed before she suddenly felt completely faint. "I…I don't think."

"Pepper, you're completely pale…I think-"

The next thing she knew, everything was black.


	34. It all started at 6:52am part 2

**_A/N: _**_Hmm...I think no matter how profusely I apologize and grovel I doubt that would be enough for such a EXTREMELY late update after a SUPER EVIL cliffhanger in the previous chapter. I suppose my usual excuse of "life is so hectic" has run dry but I do try my best. Either way, I'm not entirely sure if my fans are still out there eagerly waiting to read this chapter or have long forgotten about this story, but here it is. I'm still writing and still juggling life. I promise I'll try to update in a more weekly or somewhat routinely fashion. _

* * *

Nothing felt real to him.

Nothing more than the fear that overwhelmed him with the simple thought of losing her. Nothing felt more real in that moment as he glanced for no more than a second at Fury before he turned and instructed Jarvis to suit him up. He was sure that the commander was questioning his priorities and probably his lack of dedication as well. But frankly as he thought of her and the fearful tone of the message Happy had left in his voicemail, he really couldn't give a damn right now.

He could care less whether the commander thought any less of him or whether the rest of the Avengers thought him to be selfish. He could care less whether the world slipped through his fingers or whether his once chance of fulfilling that mission had simply come and passed right there and then. He could care less that he spent three months planning this mission; three months of gathering Intel, of ensuring that he had in fact correctly identified the right passage to take to enter the secret enemy's compound. He couldn't bring himself to care that if he had carried out his mission today that he would in fact save hundreds or even thousands of lives.

Because right now all that mattered to him was _her. _Right now all he could think about was _her. _All he could even begin to dream and hope and want to be with more than anything is _her. _

He was nothing without her. He was nothing but a hopeless fool and a bastard without a heart to care for anybody other than himself. She was the only one that made him think otherwise. She was the only one that stayed around long enough to make him realize that there was more to life than one night stands and alcoholic fuelled nights. She cared for him enough to see through his arrogance and cocky attitude. She cared enough to be there for him when the rest of the world wasn't. That to him meant more than anything anybody could ever give. And without a doubt she gave him Jared. The little boy, his son, their son. His joy and wonder, his pride and dreams all rolled into one. She loved him enough to give him her heart and her trust. He could never betray her and never for a second choose anything else than her.

Not even the world that he vowed to protect.

* * *

Happy had never realized how dull coloured hospitals were. He never realized how the colours seemed to depict neither happiness nor sadness. He theorized that perhaps whoever designed hospitals wanted to convey the appropriate emotion for the patient's current situation. He could only think about how thoughtful that designer was because right now the colour white seemed completely appropriate to how he felt.

He glanced to the little boy beside him. His little face filled with a multitude of expressions. He wanted more than anything to make things right, to somehow reach into the world and pull the spirit of god or whatever it was that watched over them to make her okay again. But he knew it was out of his hands, he knew that he had driven as fast as he could. That he probably had a dozen or so speeding tickets clocked to his name already from all his speeding earlier in the day.

"Uncle Happy," his little voice murmured. His little eyes staring into his. "Is daddy going to be here soon?"

He nodded and stretched a hand to gently rest behind the little boy's shoulders. That was the only comfort he could give now, the only warmth and reassurance he could provide in moments such as these.

"Your father is on his way as we speak," he replied softly as if any louder and the walls of the hospital would start rumbling.

"Do you think mummy will be okay?"

He sighed and turned his eyes to the empty doorway to the waiting room they were currently sitting in. That was the only question he wished he could answer.

* * *

She could hear voices and she vaguely remembered what exactly or rather where she was. She was sure she was still in the office because the last thing she recalled was sitting at her desk typing another one of those long and insanely boring emails to the board of directors. She remembered she had that finance meeting to attend and she briefly hoped she hadn't fallen asleep at the meeting. It would be incredibly annoying and incredibly unprofessional to degrade herself to another replica of Tony and his lack of attention at the monthly board of directors meeting.

"Pepper…can you hear me?"

She frowned and managed to grunt in response to her name. The voice seemed completely unfamiliar and judging from the lulling beep and shuffling of many footsteps around her she was completely sure she was not in the board of directors meeting or in her office for that matter.

"Pepper, my name is Dr Welsh…"

At the mention of a doctor her panic and thought flew straight to the baby in her womb. She grasped around, forcing her eyes to adjust to the light as she blinked and cast her hands straight to her swollen stomach.

She felt the familiar lump and the weight of her baby sitting in her womb. She mildly relaxed back into the bed as she turned her eyes back to the doctor.

"Your baby is fine," Dr Welsh's words fell deaf on her ears as she let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.

"What…What happened?" she whispered her voice barely able to mumble any louder.

"You fainted," the doctor told her. "Which in your condition is highly cautious. But your blood tests have returned perfectly alright. The only conclusion we could draw is perhaps the contribution of lack of sleep and dehydration coupled with stress."

"Oh…"

The doctor smirked and said softly, "I'm pretty sure your GP repeated extensively about taking time off work?"

"I wish," she murmured.

"It's hard I know, but for the sake of your baby perhaps you should. You are after all eight months pregnant, Pepper and with a husband like Tony, I'm pretty sure you're not only stressed at work but at home as well."

She laughed softly and nodded.


	35. Preparation

_**A/N: **Another extreme long update. I think it's going to be like that for a while. I'm terribly sorry for prolonging the evil cliff-hangers here and there. But either way here it is! The long awaited update. Thanks for all the lovely reviews too :). _

* * *

She entered the boardroom with an unconscious hand pressed at her stomach and the other holding several stapled documents close to her chest. This was her last day at work, the last day before a very much needed time off to actually relax and prepare herself for the birth of their second child. It wasn't as scary to her as it was when she was pregnant with Jared. She was more experienced now and she knew almost exactly what was coming and the pain involved during child birth.

She couldn't help but reminisce on the day she gave birth to Jared as she sat at the head of the board table awaiting her colleagues. She remembered Tony cringing at almost every moment from the constant pressure she supplied to his hand when she gave birth to Jared. He had winced and grumbled, nicely but then dissolved into a more direct, gentle instruction for her to lessen the pressure on his hand before he would resort to a more dramatic endeavour.

She still remembered him muttering away that he would and possibly should excuse himself from the birth for a few minutes so he could retrieve his Ironman gauntlet and wear it to protect his hands from her torturous ministrations. She laughed at the thought despite Natalie walking in whilst holding a few layers of files in her hands. She noticed Natalie's questioned gaze but yet amused expression etched in her features.

"Something I miss?" Natalie asked as she sat on the chair to her left and quietly disposed of those files she held ever so tightly to the space on the table before her.

"No, no," she hushed softly, "I was just reminiscing on the past."

"Let me guess the board meeting we had a month ago where Phil from finance waltzed into the room with his bright orange boxers exposed slightly from his unzipped fly?"

She laughed again and shook her head. "No, no, not that. I'm afraid Phil will never live that one down."

"Yeah, I doubt he ever will," Natalie smiled as she neatened the papers before her in their proper respectful piles. "So what were you reminiscing on then?"

"I was thinking about the time I gave birth to Jared," she mused softly, her thoughts fluttering back to where she was before Natalie entered the room moments ago.

"From what I heard, Tony had quite a match with your hand," Natalie laughed.

"Oh he did," she smiled widely, "He's already started to suggest this time that he will put on his Ironman gauntlets to save himself from getting his hands semi-broken again."

"Oh no, he didn't!"

"Yes he did, I swear for a man with an exploding ego and matching ability to share it with the world he sure does squeal like a baby at such little things sometimes," Pepper laughed.

"It's just the way he is," Natalie smiled. "Men are always like that."

"Yeah," she smiled warmly this time as she thought about him, "They are," she paused briefly to gather the documents in her hands as the others began to slowly enter the room, "but we love them anyway, despite their ability to act like such babies sometimes."

The meeting finished roughly exactly to the hour and she couldn't be more relieved as she and Natalie made their way down the familiar hallway to her office. She suddenly craved for the silence and serenity from her office after having been choked up with poor ventilation in the board meeting room with all the directors of Stark Industries. Their conversations of planning and strategies for Stark Industries was getting to her head and the only thing she could think of right now was sitting on her comfortable chair and drinking a nice glass of pure, pulp free orange juice.

Natalie excused herself within a few feet of her office, muttering something about having to meet Happy at reception to make some arrangements in picking Jared up from school. She knew very much that 'making plans to pick up Jared' was easily done by phone but she knew how closed they had become and how once she had been giddy with love a long time ago before any kids got drawn into the picture. She smiled quietly to herself as she mused at how she was still often giddy with love and that with kids or without kids it seemed their love life only elevated to a deeper and longing level.

She pushed the door of her office open without glancing at her chair, her thoughts far too absorbed in thinking about him.

"A penny for your thoughts, darling?" his familiar voice murmured and she glanced to her chair instantly.

The smile that had been plastered to her lips widened almost splitting her face as she regarded him with a raised brow.

"I didn't even see you," she murmured as she neared him, "How long have you been here?"

"A while," he answered as he pushed himself to a stand and quickly reached for her elbow. "I saw you in the board room and I really couldn't bring myself to sit in one of those things again."

She laughed at his momentary cringing expression at the mention of board meeting.

"There's something about that meeting that brings out the worst in me," he muttered as he flashed a warm smile at her.

"You seem exceptionally cheerful today, Tony," she mused softly as he lowered to press a kiss at her lips.

He paused short of her lips and murmured, "That's because I get to take you home and make sure you abide by the 20 rules that Jared and I made up of how to be lazy and do absolutely nothing because any moving is adding unnecessary stress to your body."

She rolled her eyes at him as she slipped her hands around the collar of his shirt and muttered, "Just because I'm pregnant doesn't make me an invalid and I can't believe you and Jared are ganging up on me like that."

He chuckled and smiled sweetly at her before pressing a very much needed kiss at her lips. "What can I say, our son is concerned about your well-being and it so happens I am too…But I assure you Pepper darling that we won't be too harsh. Jared will probably get bored with the whole idea after a few minutes and decide to do argue with Jarvis or something, you know how easily bored he gets sometimes."

"And what about you?"

"I'll be following you around like a policeman with a whistle and a hat."

"I really shouldn't have fainted, it's only led to a much more darker part of the infamous Tony Stark and his ability to completely ruin my fun."

He smiled at first then lowered his expression to something more serious as he pressed a hand at either hand rest on her chair. "I love you, Pepper and I promise I'm not going to make you be too super lazy, only slightly."

"Promise?"

"Okay maybe a little bit more than slightly, but nothing to extreme," he murmured softly before adding, "I'll even let you wake up at that unearthly hour of the morning if you want too even though I think you're ridiculously crazy for doing that when you're supposed to be having time off."

"It's called a routine, Tony."

"I'll make you relax, just you see," he smiled.

"I can hardly wait," she murmured as he leaned in for another lingering kiss.


	36. September 11  part 1

**A/N: **Hmm...I've realized after several updates that my promise of updating weekly is slowly slipping or rather, dramatically stretching to two weeks, three weeks or sometimes even as far as a month. I honestly am sorry for updating so late all the time and I'm quite aware I've lost a few readers because of this. I sincerely apologize but at the same time I thank all those loyal readers who still grudgingly follow and put up with my extended updates! Thanks again!

* * *

She awoke that morning to the familiar sensation of his hand rubbing circles on her swollen stomach and instead of making her woken presence known she kept still and instead enjoyed his ministrations for the next few minutes. She knew exactly what would happen should she let him know she was awake. He would start with greeting her, kissing her gently before becoming heavily engrossed with keeping her in the bed for the next hour before even contemplating whether they should get up. She knew how easy it was for him to let time slip past him whenever she was concerned. But something about the way he touched her seemed a trifle different this morning. She knew it from the touch of his hand and the way he breathed unevenly beside her. He seemed tense and at a loss of reality but rather thinking deeply about work or she was sure, something Ironman related. She always knew the changes in his mood and how effectively they changed the way he touched her.

She had contemplated telling him a few times but resulted in keeping such thoughts from him as bothering him with such menial details seemed a waste of their precious time spent together. Not that they had much time between them, Stark Industries and his Ironman responsibilities. It seemed that as time passed, days quickened and weeks became almost like minutes slipping past her unnoticed until Natalie reminded her of such eventful events. Today was one of them.

She hummed lowly and shifted slightly so that her hands were able to capture his. She intertwined their fingers and brought his hand to her lips and kissed them gently. He seemed to loosen in her hold and she smiled inwardly at her ability to make him forget whatever it was he was thinking about with such a simple gestures.

"Everything okay?" she murmured softly, not bothering to open her eyes as she felt him tighten his hold around her. She felt his chest pressed up against her back and she revelled in his warmth on this particularly chilly morning.

"Fury left a message," he said simply.

She sighed and blinked her eyes open as she thought blankly, 'I should have known.' But instead of questioning him further as she normally did she kept quiet this time and stared out the window. She noticed that Jarvis had bothered to darken the windows slightly but without much requirement. The sky was greyed, cloudy almost as if crying tears for such a day as today.

"I suppose it was inevitable," he said finally after several moments of silence.

"I was expecting it," she answered softly, "Given the history of today."

"Stay away from the city today," he murmured softly as he pressed a kiss at her bare neck. "Okay?"

"Tony-" she started but he interrupted.

"Please?" his tone was pressed and his voice mumbled from between her hair.

"Okay," she sighed, knowing she would get nowhere with arguing with him about this matter. But as an afterthought she added softly, "We'll be okay."

"I know," he whispered softly as he flattened his palm against her swollen stomach. "But after everything I've seen…after everything I've done…I just can't help but worry, you know."

"We'll stay home," she murmured to him, "I'm pretty sure Jared will like that anyway. You know how much fun he has hacking with Jarvis on Sundays…"

"What will you do?"

She smiled as she shifted around till she faced him. "Watch a movie, or watch Jared hack. It's not as boring as I make it out to be you know. It's actually quite interesting to watch your six year old son type a bunch of nonsensical code hacking and every so often wave his hair around so that he looks almost like the splitting image of his father."

"Ah…well, what can I say?"

"Like father like son?" she mumbled with an amused tone.

He chuckled before his laughter died away and his open grin faltered into a warm, cherishing smile. "What would I ever do without you, Pep?" he murmured softly to her.

"Be completely and utterly lost?" she tried.

"Nah, I'd be nothing," he whispered and paused for a moment before he murmured, "Feels like only yesterday that this," he motioned to her swollen stomach, "was Jared."

She smiled warmly. "I know."

"Mr Stark, Fury is on line one. He says you're requested to be at base in approximately an hour," Jarvis noted in an indifferent tone.

"Did you request for time extension?" he asked his eyes barely left hers as he instructed Jarvis.

"I followed protocol but Fury rejected your time extension. He said it's urgent."

"Alright," he sighed lowly this time, "Let him know I'm on my way."

He looked at her wearily and opened his mouth as if to say something.

"We'll be okay," she said simply. "I promise."

"You better," he muttered with a sheepish smile, "I can't sleep well without my cuddly pregnant wife to snuggle up with at tonight."

"Uh huh…your snuggly wife won't be so snuggly soon when she squeezes your hand until oblivion."

"It's okay," he grinned as he slipped from the bed. "I've got the Ironman gauntlet ready to go."

She rolled her eyes at him as he threw her a grin.

"I love you, Pepper."

"I love you too. Be safe."

"I always am."


	37. September 11 part 2

**A/N: **Hmm...For a while now I've been thinking about this story and trying to decipher it's actual plot line and I've come to realize that I don't actually have one. Which is quite bad because it's like a routine now where I sit down and just write snippets of Tony/Pepper's life as they go along without any actual direction. However, the general consensus I've derived from all the reviews I've received so far is that this story is still very much enjoyed. Am I right to say that or...? Your comments/suggestions are welcome!

* * *

For a long time all he could do was stare. He wanted to memorize the atmosphere and feel that feeling so many others had felt when the towers collapsed. It was that thought that he could have lost her that day that truly haunted him. She had been scheduled for a meeting in that tower, the first one that collapsed that painful morning. But by some spurt of luck and strange coincidence his jet engine slumped and refused to power up that early morning before when her flight had been scheduled. He remembered having sent her off with a casual smirk and that very drunkard look he managed to master at such unearthly hours of the morning.

He still remembered he was supposed to have been ready by some early hour of the morning but he had drunk the night before. He had celebrated for some occasion he could hardly remember now, but he remembered he had been participating in another one of his drunkard affairs and that very morning she had swiftly murmured to him that she'd be gone for the better half of the day and to make sure he was at least awake by noon. He remembered watching her leave, eyes tracing her every step as she strolled in a very businesslike manner toward the door. At that time he hadn't realized the implications of how lost he would be without her there beside him carefully managing his life. She had been like the others, another asset of the company and another sexy, blonde beautiful woman he could ogle at whenever he pleased.

With the thought of her his mood shifted to a melancholy state even as he stood beside the president fully armoured, looking as scary as ever to any threatening forces out amongst the crowd. He barely listened to the president's speech as he thought about how loving her and how cherishing her completed him. She made him whole and she filled that gap in his life. She sealed that space he had painfully buried deep inside his subconscious when his parents had been tragically taken away from him. But she sealed it in the gentlest way possible and he knew she wasn't even trying.

Loving her had never been his intentions when he hired her. There was no doubt that he wanted to sleep with her. But that's what he always wanted to do a long time ago with any woman possibly willing to slip into his bed and share the night with him. He never remembered their faces or what their names were or what they did for a living. He honestly never cared that much to ask. But after she managed to resist his charms, his flirting and his advances, it almost became like a game to him. It was as if the more she resisted the more he tried. He knew he was never getting anywhere with his advances because she would never give in no matter how hard he tried. And somewhere between the years she became special to him because she wasn't like the others. She wasn't just another face or another post on his bed.

She was Pepper. The woman that somehow she wove her way into his heart and made him realize that life was more than parties, alcohol and women. Life was about moments like these when simply thinking about loved ones meant more than anything the world could ever offer.

"Yo man, are you even listening to the com?"

His thoughts dissolved as the colonel's familiar voice rang through his internal speakers. He glanced to the colonel standing beside him in his suit much like his own but silver and somewhat duller.

"What?" he grunted into the internal communication link before he glanced toward the president who seemed to be wrapping up his address to the nation.

"We're closing up shop in ten, presidents almost done and the secret service has instructed that they're taking it from here," the colonel explained and true enough the secret service moved in.

He watched as they enclosed their way around the high threat markers.

"Oh…" he murmured distantly, his thoughts still lingered around the thought of her.

"You're thinking about her aren't you?"

He smiled and silently thanked the suit for hiding such an inappropriate expression on a moment like this. The secret service gave their marker and he gathered himself and took off alongside the colonel.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he muttered as they flew through the city.

"You don't fool me, Stark. The tone of your voice gives it away all the time," the colonel responded instantly.

He huffed and muttered, "You think too much, Rhodey. Give it a rest and do something useful like shove your head up Fury's ass."

"Well, I would if I could but you know how tight Fury's schedule is…"

He smirked at the indirect notation and replied, "That's alright, I'll get Jared to hack into his schedule and pencil that important date in."

"How does Friday 1600 hours sound?"

"Perfect."

The colonel chuckled and muttered, "I'll catch you later, Stark. Need to have a quick word with Langley since I'm in the city."

"Have fun," he muttered dryly before the colonel flew off in the opposite direction.

"_Jarvis."_

"_Yes sir, how may I be of assistance?"_

"_Set destination to home. Auto-pilot."_

"_Affirmative. Coordinates for current location to destination has been instantiated, upon your instruction auto pilot will be initiated…"_

"_Let's do it."_

"_Instruction received. Auto pilot initiated."_

"_Great…"_


	38. Meeting Julia part 1

**A/N: **I suppose saying 'sorry' for only updating this after two months won't really suffice to all of my loyal readers out there. I really hope I haven't lost all my readers! I won't promise that I'll update routinely, but I can promise that I'll finish this story one day. Also, just a note to Cathy-Gisela, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't have found time to work on this. So for that I'd like to thank you for not letting me forget about this story :).

* * *

The first thing that caught Jared's eye as he stepped into the dimly lit hospital room was his mother reclined on the hospital bed wearing a gown that looked several sizes too big. She appeared to be in less pain than she had hours ago and he felt relieved in that moment. If there was one thing that Jared didn't like, it was seeing his mother in pain and not being able to do anything to ease her discomfort.

He stepped carefully toward her and made sure to not let his sneakers squeak against the polished tiles as he walked. The last thing he wanted to do was to reduce his little sister to tears with such a sharp sounded awakening. He didn't proclaim to know a great deal about little babies but from the summary he had Jarvis lecture him about; he was sure any high pitched sound would only alarm her little ears.

His mother glanced at him and smiled warmly in that very special way she always had when she had looked at him. He smiled in return but before he could say anything she beckoned him over.

"Come meet your little sister, Jared," she murmured softly as she moved the little bundle carefully.

He carefully placed a hand on the bed beside her and peered over at the little bundle. His little sister was very pink and the only thing he was fascinated with was her little button sized nose. She seemed so fragile, so tiny. He was sure she was the smallest baby he had ever seen before. And quite suddenly, he wanted to protect her from the world. He knew he was being very childish because he was quite sure his father could protect his little sister in ways he couldn't dream of. But despite that, he quietly vowed he'd always look out for his little sister.

"What's her name?" he asked softly.

"Julia Maria Stark ," his mother answered but smiled when she caught his eyes and added, "Although for a moment there she was almost named Rocket."

He grinned openly and asked, "Was daddy coming up with weird names again?"

"Oh yes," she murmured drily, "Hmm… speaking about him, where's daddy?"

"He said he needed to speak to uncle Rhodey about something," he told her swiftly, not really thinking much about his response. He was more interested in knowing whether he was allowed to touch her little hand. He asked softly, "Can I touch her, mommy?"

"Of course," she replied eagerly. "Here, let me just move a little bit and you can sit up here with me," his mother replied as she shifted accordingly.

He grinned openly as he climbed onto the bed beside his mother. He carefully leaned into her side as she spread the blankets between them. He remained perfectly stilled as she proceeded to lay his little sister comfortably between them. He edged a hand slowly to touch the little tufts of hair at her tiny little head. Her skin was really smooth and curiously he stroked her little head gently.

"Is she sleeping?" he asked as he turned his eyes from his little sister to his mother.

"She's awake," his mother replied softly.

"But her eyes are closed," he noted curiously.

"That's because she hasn't opened her eyes yet," his mother explained, "Normally, new born babies open their eyes after they're born. But the doctor said due to Julia not born naturally, she'll open her eyes when she's ready."

"Oh," he replied lowly, "Was I born naturally?"

"I wanted too, but there were some complications and so I ended up having surgery just like I did for Julia."

"What happened?"

His mother smiled before she murmured, "Your daddy decided it was incredibly risky for me to risk a natural birth."

"Daddy did what?"

He glanced toward the direction of the voice and grinned happily when he spotted his father.

"Daddy!" he exclaimed.

"Talking about me when I'm not here, huh?" his father muttered disappointedly, but smiled as he made his way toward them.

"Always," his mother replied coolly, "If you're not the topic of conversation than Ironman is."

"Ah well," his father groaned sarcastically, "What can I say? It's difficult being popular."

"Your daddy needs a good smack," his mother told Jared pointedly but smiled as she did so.

He grinned before he turned to his father and said, "Look at this, daddy. Julia's holding my hand."


	39. Meeting Julia part 2

_**A/N: **_I think I've had a bit too much chocolate this evening. I sat down with serious intentions on writing a nice romantic chapter but ended up with this. I guess I just wanted to take a turn from the normal romantic-ness of my other chapters and tune up the comedy side a bit. Hopefully Tony doesn't come across as being completely out of character. Enjoy...

* * *

If there was one thing that Tony truly hated, it was the sterile medicinal stench that radiated through the hallways of Malibu Private Hospital. He would never formally admit it of course and not even to Pepper no matter how much he loved her. In fact he was pretty sure he about reached the limit possible by man to ever love a woman, but vows be damned this was going to be the only secret he would ever keep from her. Because he was pretty sure saying to her 'Pepper darling, this hospital smells, can we leave' would only result in a 'death by glare' from her.

And she really did know how to throw him a deathly, scary glare.

But it wasn't just the smell or the way it made his guts feel like they had been turned inside out. It was the colours and the general look of the place that left him feeling depressed even though there was nothing but happiness to fill him at this moment in time. The birth of their new daughter made sure of that and the last thing he wanted to do was mope around in hopeless depression. Although honestly walking down the halls day after day just wasn't helping his cause.

"Are you alright, man?" Rhodey asked with a curious look, "You've been staring at the wall for five minutes straight."

"I'm-"

"Pepper is fine, so don't you start thinking that something'll happen to her because-"

"No, no, nothing like that man," he rolled his eyes and pointed at the wall, "Have you noticed how depressing this place looks?"

"You weren't thinking about Pepper?"

He shifted uncomfortably and tapped at the wall as he muttered, "Seriously, haven't you noticed the colours?"

"You didn't answer my question," Rhodey remarked pointedly.

"I was thinking about Pepper," he noted in that direct tone of his, "But I was also thinking about how they could really brighten up this place with a colour change or something. All this sickly blue and vomit green should be removed immed-"

"Have you been drinking again?"

He stared dumfounded at his friend. "No, what would make you think that?"

"Because instead of thinking about your daughter and wife you're actually pondering over what possessed the designers to choose these colours?"

He frowned and noted, "Didn't you just tell me moments ago to not worry about Pepper because she was perfectly fine?"

"Yes, but that's not the point."

"Exactly, the point is-"

"There isn't any point to this conversation, Tony. Who even cares anyway, it's a hospital. People that are sick come here. It's not exactly a theme park."

"This is the nursery if you haven't noticed," Tony grumbled and shifted as if irritated, "They should at least draw sunflowers or something to draw attention away from the hideous blue."

"Well why don't you just buy the hospital and paint the rooms rainbow colour while you're at it?"

He paused in that moment, eyes wide as he opened his mouth as if to say something.

"Don't even think about it," Rhodey groaned. "Tony, I'm serious. Pepper will kill you."

* * *

"No."

"Oh come on, Pepper. It's not even that expensive and I could really use a hobby on the side other than you know, my 9 to 5 saving the world job."

"Tony, the answer was no and it's still no and I can't believe you just referred to 'saving the world' as another form of a day job."

"But think of the sunflowers."

"What?"

"He said sunflowers, mummy," Jared added in, "We'll even paint a picture of a bells pepper just for you."

"I can't believe you roped our son into this insane idea of yours."


	40. Meeting Julia part 3

**A/N: **Well I totally planned to write a long and meaningful chapter but like the previous chapter, I ended up with this... It's short, but sweet. I hope anyways. I was going to update this sometime next weekend and spend the week adding to this chapter but after taking one look at my insane schedule this week at work I don't think I will have any time to write. :( . enjoy...

* * *

She awoke to soft whispers that evening and curiously she glanced toward the direction of the whispers to find Tony hovering over by the window clutching a bundle of blankets she assumed to be little Julia to his chest. He had that very 'protective' stance about him as he stood there staring out the window as if it were the most natural thing to do. She heard a shuffle of blankets and she remained still, her eyes only peering as she glanced at Jared sleepily climbing onto the chair beside his father.

She smiled warmly when Tony whispered to Jared, "Couldn't sleep, buddy?"

"Not really, I just wanted to see what you and Julia were looking at," Jared whispered softly in return.

"Hmmm…nothing much really," Tony replied softly as he turned his eyes back to the window, "Julia seems to think staring at that street lamp is fascinating though."

"I suppose when you're a baby everything is fascinating because all she's seen for nine months straight was mummy's insides," Jared whispered as he slid his hand around Tony's arm.

Tony bent lower as if complying with Jared's unasked question to bend lower so he could have a look at his little sister. He was always so fatherly, so perfect when it came to Jared and now little Julia. Sometimes it was moments like these that made her forget the Tony she had first met so many years ago. It made it hard for her to remember that once upon a time in his place stood a man that thought fast cars, women, alcohol and numerous parties were the only joys of existence.

It warmed her heart to just think about how wonderful he was let alone laying there in the darkness and actually watching him being all fatherly. It made her heart swell and made her remember all the wonderful things he had accomplished since the day he stood before her and declared his undying love for her. He changed in so many ways that Pepper was certain she could never understand how or why. But she knew she would always bask in the love he gave to her because more than anything she loved that she could love him in that kind of way only possible in fairy tales.

"Do you think mummy will let you buy the hospital?" Jared asked softly as he glanced quickly at his mother.

She feigned sleeping because she was really enjoying just watching father, son and daughter at their utmost element of the night.

Tony chuckled quietly and murmured in return, "I don't think mummy really liked the sound of buying the hospital just so we could paint sunflowers on the walls."

"But it would make this place look more happy," Jared whispered.

"I won't argue with that," Tony murmured softly, "But buying the hospital wasn't really a good idea after I really thought about it. I mean there are a lot of things that we would become responsible for."

"I could help," Jared replied quickly as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

"I'm sure you could, buddy," Tony answered, "And maybe in a few years when you're eighteen I might just go ahead and buy this place so you could practice being responsible. But right now, I think between your school, football practice and big brother responsibilities, my Ironman responsibilities and mummy's CEO Stark Industries responsibilities, we won't all have time for sun flower painting."

Her breath hitched for a moment as she smiled ridiculously at them, trust Tony to come up with such a simple response to steer Jared away from the 'sunflower painting' project. Jared sighed in that moment and she knew Tony had finally swayed Jared's thinking around the right way.

"Maybe…maybe we could paint sun flowers in Julia's room then?" Jared asked softly.

She smiled.


	41. Meeting Julia part 4

**A/N: **Oh dear... I'm on a roll. This is probably the longest chapter I've ever written for this fic. Enjoy. :)

* * *

As dawn peeked from the horizon, the sunlight seeped through the curtains of their very homely hospital room.

He hummed softly to the little bundle in his arms that slept oblivious to the world around her. He smiled warmly at her little pink button nose and her beautiful tuffs of hair sprouting around her little head. He felt something warm lingering in the pit of his stomach as he gazed over her, protecting her from the world even though there was nothing much to protect her from at the present moment. It was barely past 5am and judging by the shadowed footsteps outside, the level of security had not lessened. There was a part of him that swelled with honour that he had such friends in high places who wanted to protect his family without him ever asking in the first place.

He tried not to think about Ironman, pushing the thoughts from his mind as he simply told himself to enjoy the peace and serenity whilst it lasted. They would soon be discharged from hospital and soon he would be taking his little family home. He dreaded to think about the multitudes of protocols he would have to reinitiate the instant he arrived home. He liked to think Jarvis would take it upon himself to initiate them but knowing the familiar AI, Jarvis was probably enjoying a nice break.

He sighed quietly to himself, drinking in the atmosphere of such a homely hospital room. There sat a photo frame of the four of them at one corner of the room by the window sill and another photo of the Avengers beside that. He smiled to himself at the thought of Pepper always adding a personal touch to a place other than their home. It was almost as if she couldn't go by without adding some sort of personal touch to the place without feeling at ease with her surroundings. It had always been a habit of hers and he had the pleasure of only discovering this during those years their relationship shifted from friendship to lovers. All those years ago when babies were a figment of their imagination. All those years ago when he actually thought he had it all.

He had been so very wrong.

There wasn't a day that went by now where he swelled with pride at being a father. The thought alone was enough to give him that extra encouragement to get missions done and be home by 6. There were days when that was impossible but he still tried, pushing himself past the 24 hour mark to at least make it home by morning to see Jared off to school. He knew it wasn't much and he knew Jared was much too young to really understand what being awake for 24 hours and being battered and bruised all at the same time was really about, but the look on Pepper's face on those mornings always touched something deep inside his heart. He always wanted to tell her that she was in his thoughts as well and that he didn't just push himself to be home in the mornings so that he could see Jared off. But he was pretty sure she knew anyway, because those kisses and time spent in the bedroom after Jared left for school spoke a lot more than words ever could.

He smiled warmly this time, letting the smile spread across his lips as he glanced at her. His Pepper sleeping just as obliviously as little Julia in his arms. She held Jared in her arms as she slept, sharing the bed with him just like she always shared everything she could with everyone she loved. That was one of the many things he loved about her. Well, that and the fact that of all people in the world she choose him, Tony Stark to share all of life's greatest accomplishments with. He will never fully understand it even though the world classified him as being amongst the genius of all genius's. He will never understand why she saw him at his lowest but stuck around for him to finally make it to where he always needed to be. He liked to think that maybe all those years ago when she stepped through his doors and sat down for her interview, that somehow by some sheer dumb luck she had seen something in him. That maybe she had seen something in his eyes that he hadn't discovered at the time.

He always thanked whatever brought them together. Sometimes, he even wanted to thank Obidah and his madden desire to rule the world by destroying it from the inside out. Because had he never been kidnapped he wouldn't have realized how much she really mattered to him until it was possibly too late. He wouldn't have become Ironman and he wouldn't have felt what it was like to have her slip between his fingertips, brushing so closely to death.

He sighed, incandescently happy at how all those years led up to here and now. He couldn't imagine being anywhere but here sitting beside her bed holding his daughter in his arms, watching her share a bed with his son…their son.

Oh how he loved her.

His thoughts snapped away the instant Julia's little fist thumped at his chest. He glanced down quickly and smiled at his daughter.

"Isn't that right, Julia," he cooed softly, "And to think all those years ago I thought babies were disgusting and alcohol was a better substitute for human emotion."

"I can't believe you just said that to our daughter," her familiar voice murmured to him.

He glanced up to see her staring at him amused at his words.

"I was reminiscing," he whispered in return and matched her smile.

"I could see," she replied softly, brushing at Jared's messy hair as she kept her gaze on him.

"See my thoughts?" he remarked sarcastically.

"Oh yes," she hummed, "Your eyes always go all soft and warm, and your face has this really goofy expression."

He rolled his eyes and paused to press a kiss over Julia's little head when he noticed she had fallen asleep. He turned his eyes back to her with his cheek now pressed to the top of Julia's head and he smiled…really smiled in the sort of way he did when he couldn't think of anything else to say because the love in the air was simply suffocating any coherent thought in him.

"She's beautiful," he whispered to her, "I love you."

The atmosphere in the room shifted when she too smiled as she pressed her cheek against Jared's messy locks. "I love you too," she whispered.

"How did I get so lucky?" he asked, not really seeking an answer but hoping she had some sort of cheesy answer up her sleeve like she always did.

"I'm not sure," she murmured, "But all I know is you had me at hello."

"All those years ago?"

"When I handed you my resume and sat down, hoping I would get the job."

"Pepper, darling," he murmured, "You had the job the instant I saw you in that pencil skirt sitting outside my office."

She rolled her eyes and grumbled, "There was a really nice atmosphere in the room for a moment there but that completely killed it."

"You love me for it," he smirked as he slowly brought himself to a stand.

"Yes I do," she sighed, "I'll never know why."

He smiled warmly at her before he turned around to carefully place Julia in the moveable crib beside him. He winced when he accidentally knocked the crib and he kept completely still as if waiting for the sound of her wail. But she continued sleeping and with every muscle in his body he crept backwards slowly until he was sure it was safe enough to turn around. He met her amused eyes and threw her another one of his dashing smiles that he knew would surely make her roll her eyes at him. She did just as he thought and he nodded as if to tell her 'you know it and you love it'.

He slid his arms under Jared, and paused to press a light lingering kiss at her lips before pushing off and carefully taking Jared in his arms. He turned to gently deposit Jared in the small bed at the other end of their small hospital room. He pulled the blankets over Jared and paused briefly to press a kiss at Jared's messy locks.

He turned back to her and smiled warmly as he neared her. She opened the blankets almost immediately and as quietly as he could he removed his shoes and slid under the blankets beside her. The bed was far too small for the both of them, but letting her lay as much as she could on him was enough to make it almost spacious. He held her securely in his arms, sighing in her hair as she tucked her arms between them.

"I'm sorry, Pepper," he murmured softly after several moments of silence.

"For what?" she whispered.

"I didn't just give you the job because I thought you were sexy," he said softly, "I gave you the job because you told me you wouldn't sleep with me just to get the job."

"I wasn't lying either," she murmured after seconds of silence passed between them.

"I know."

"Why? I'd hate to think you had some sort of personal goal to hire me just so you could somehow woo me with your good looks and charms into sleeping with you."

He kept quiet for several moments as he pondered the best way to answer her.

"Tony? Oh god! Please don't tell me I was a goal on your 'to sleep with' list…"

He chuckled softly and whispered, "For a while you were, and by awhile I think that was only about a month or two."

"What drastic thing did I do to remove me from that list?"

"Jealous?"

"More like curious…"

"You cared," he blurted.

"I don't understa-"

"I was drunk, not the normal drunk but the extreme kind of drunk and I think I made a move on you or something," he explained softly, "From what Jarvis told me you were already one foot out the door, or at least that was until…"

"Until?" she urged on gently, reaching up to slide her hand onto his cheek as if to tell him it was okay to go on.

"Until you found out it was the anniversary of my parent's accident," he said, "I never…I never think straight on their anniversary. I think all the heart ache from missing them just sort of destroyed something inside me every year all those years ago."

"I remember that," she whispered and smiled at him, "I cared because that day I knew that you were what you were because you were just trying to forget."

"Yeah, I guess," he sighed, "But funnily enough when I think about it now, every year after that you-"

"Cleared your schedule and made you help me clean the kitchen."

"Oh god!" he chuckled, "You made me your cleaning whore once a year just so I wouldn't get miserable and drink myself to oblivion?"

She smiled and leaned up to kiss him. "You know it and you love it."

He smiled warmly this time and leaned in for a longer lingering kiss. "Where would I be without you, Pep?"

"Trying to find your way here?"

"Nah," he whispered as he pressed his lips at her temple this time, "You would have eventually given in to my dashing looks and charming personality."

"Try harder, Tony."

"At least admit the first thing you thought when you met me was 'damn he's hot'?"

"And why would I want to feed your ego, Tony?"

"Because you love me."

"And why I will never know…"

"Because of my dashing good looks and charming personality, that's why."

"Okay," she sighed and then murmured, "Whatever you want to believe, darling."


	42. It Finally Happened

**A/N: **Oh dear I've spent way too long dragging this out and by 'this' I mean actually writing this chapter. I've been so busy during the week and every weekend that has come by I've done nothing but been completely lazy. I've told myself every weekend that has rolled by that I'll write the chapter, I'll write it, next weekend I promise, ok maybe next weekend...and finally here it is! Thank you for being such patient readers and thank you to all who have reviewed and still continue to review!

* * *

"Pepper," Tony murmured softly behind her.

He hovered behind her and she couldn't help but lean back to bask in the warmth he was voluntarily providing. He always knew how to bring her back down to earth sometimes. She also highly suspected that he knew she was feeling the cold from the many cooling systems he built into every corner of their home. It was one of the few downfalls of having an AI built into the very walls surrounding them.

She disliked the cold with the exception of ice cream of course. She had Jared to thank for that. His love for chocolate swirl ice creams still made her cringe at times. But the look of pure joy on his face each time they hovered in the kitchen late at night sharing ice cream out of the tub made the sugary desert all worth it.

"Pepper," Tony whispered again into her ear this time. "Are you listening to me?"

"Hmm?" she hummed, feigning innocence as the side of his face came into view. She smiled at him when he playfully huffed at her before he pressed a soft kiss at her neck.

"I was saying," he began as he pressed slow and sensual kisses up to her ear, "that I think it has finally happened."

"What happened?"

"Jared," he said softly as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

She smiled as she continued to lay their plates with vegetables and roast chicken. She always loved their nightly routines when Tony spent countless minutes unravelling crazy and silly theories about everyone in their life. She tried to tell him once that he really needed to do something better than formulize theories like help her in the kitchen for once. His reply had been, _'I'm simply providing entertainment as you attend to our food, Pepper darling.'_ She couldn't find it in her to argue as his 'help' in the kitchen normally ended with a mess big enough to leave them spending hours cleaning up afterwards.

"I'm serious," he demanded although his tone wasn't as forceful as it would have been if he had been addressing Fury or sometimes even Jared for that matter.

"I'm sure you are," she murmured with a smile. "What new theory have you come up with this evening?"

"Don't mock me, Pepper, I'm actually quite sure of myself this time," he muttered.

She shifted in his arms to stretch for the bowl of gravy and told him, "Yes, Tony… I know."

"Mmm..Hmm," he hummed as he slid a hand down hers until he could remove the bowl from her hands. "I'm serious."

She sighed and glanced at Jared for a moment before she turned in his arms to give him her full attention. "I'm listening."

He smiled this time and rolled his eyes briefly. "Just admit you actually love listening to me."

"Oh I do," she replied sarcastically, but the smile on her face said otherwise.

The things he did to her sometimes.

"Now go on before your ego explodes on all of us," she encouraged.

"Really?" he eyed her as if in shock, "I thought it already had."

"Tony," she warned.

"Haven't you seen the walls lately?"

She rolled her eyes this time and moved to turn around back to her chicken but was stopped short with his arm. As swiftly as he has always managed to be he slipped a hand around her waist and kissed her. He pulled her body close to his and she could feel every muscle in him relaxing under her hold. She sighed in the kiss and almost soon after he did as well. It was different to just kiss him like this, knowing full and well that their children sat a few feet from them. With Jared sitting by the dining table and baby Julia slumbering in the crib beside him. It was moments like these that made her heart swell with so much love. How did she ever get to be so lucky?

She sighed into the kiss and wasn't surprized when he sighed as well. He pulled back with that very dazed and content look on his face and smiled warmly at her.

"So what have you theorised about our son, Mr Stark?" she asked, growing slightly impatient because she was suddenly quite famished. Not to mentioned she was eager for some alone time with him in the privacy of their room much later on after his kiss. God knows they haven't had a moment to really enjoy each other lately after the arrival of baby Julia. She didn't mind of course, but nightly rituals of diaper changing and feeding, suddenly made every little moment of silence seem like some sort of great achievement.

"I think Jared has fallen in love, Mrs Stark," he said simply and smiled as he addressed her.

She stared at him for a moment before she laughed and pressed a swift kiss at his lips. "I love you, Tony…but sometimes I think for a genius, you really are quite dense."

"What?"

"You mean you don't know?" she was surprized.

"Know what?" he asked. The look on his face was priceless.

She marvelled at herself for a moment before she said softly, "Jared's been gushing over a girl for quite some time now."

Tony glared.


	43. Brotherly Duties

**A/N: **Hmm… a few people have asked about Jared's age and with a bit of calculation on my part, Jared is 7. I wrote about Jared's 6th birthday in chapter 4 or 5… I forget which one exactly but that would have been in November 2010. I completely forgot and didn't write about his 7th birthday….my bad. But I suppose after having been writing chapter after chapter for this story for a year and 4ish months now, it's hard to keep up with all the tiny details (even though I should). I feel like a really bad author now…

On other news, OMG has anybody seen The Avengers? I won't give away any spoilers other than to encourage all you Pepperony shippers out there to watch it! The Tony/Pepper scenes are soooo sweeeeeeeeeeet!

* * *

It was late when Jared awoke to the sound of Julia's whimpering. It had been like this for a few weeks now since they returned home. There were nights when Julia actually slept to a record breaking 5am, but there were also those when she decided she needed to be awake every other hour for milk or sometimes just a nice warm cuddle. It made him wonder if he were much like that when he was a baby.

He hated to think that he was bothering his parents every other night when he was a baby. He knew how busy his mother and father normally was. Between Stark Industries and S.H.I.E.L.D his parents were lucky to even get a chance to sleep in. He was going to ask his mother about it the other morning. But from the way she rushed around to prepare his breakfast for him and button up her blouse at the same time, he really didn't think she was going to be patient enough to answer. She also seemed to be distracted at the time because all she grumbled under her breath all morning was, '_of all mornings Tony just has to be called in. It just has to be the day that I'm back at work.'_

He rubbed the sleep away from his eyes as he looked down the dark corridor and tried to listen for the sound of his mother or father shuffling around in Julia's room. He could only hear Julia's soft whimpering and he thought of maybe attending to her just this once. Besides it wasn't that hard anyway, he knew where the bottles were in the kitchen and he knew how warm the milk had to be. He had seen his mother and father doing that more than a dozen times already. All he had to do was press that button that said 'Julia's Milk' in the kitchen beside the coffee and tea buttons or if he was really lazy, all he had to do was tell Jarvis to do it.

He peered a slight moment longer and thought for a moment he heard some shuffling. The silence that lingered told him otherwise, but to be sure he could always ask Jarvis and save himself the trip from walking downstairs to get Julia's milk.

"Jarvis," he whispered softly.

"How may I be of assistance, young Mr Stark?" Jarvis' murmured softly in return.

"Is mummy and daddy asleep?"

"The measurement of your mother and father's respective heart beats indicates that they are asleep," Jarvis replied casually.

"Oh…"

"I detect a question in your tone, young Mr Stark."

"Lights, but dimmed please, Jarvis," he instructed after an afterthought. He didn't think he should share his intentions just yet. "Thanks."

"Perhaps if you entrust your plans for this midnight endeavour in I, then I could offer assistance," Jarvis queried.

"I plan to feed Julia her milk," he murmured, "Would you heat her milk up for me?"

"Do you think it wise to feed her, young Mr Stark? I do not believe your mother or father have taught you the workings of baby feeding before," Jarvis replied uneasily.

"I've observed them many times," he told Jarvis simply, "I think I can do it."

"You have 25 seconds remaining before the milk is ready," Jarvis announced softly after a moment in thought.

Jared nodded as he stepped into the kitchen to await the milk.

* * *

"Mhmm…Tony," Pepper murmured behind him. "It's your turn."

He grunted and then groaned as he turned around to face her. In the process he slipped his arms around her and buried his face in the crook of her neck. She smelt like vanilla and flowers and she was nice and warm and he really couldn't be bothered to get out of bed. He burrowed his head further into the crook of her neck until his lips touched her skin.

"Do I really have to?" his voice was slightly muffled.

"Yes, because I've got a long day tomorrow and I really need my sleep," she laughed lightly when he continued to groan into her neck.

"But what if I get called in, then that would mean I'd have an even longer day," he told her, "Because you know saving the world isn't exactly a 9 to 5 job."

"Tony," she groaned back at him and began to pull at the blankets.

He chuckled at that moment and pushed himself from the bed instead. He slid his other hand to the side of her head and pressed a kiss at her lips.

"The things I do sometimes," he murmured and playfully rolled his eyes at her. "Only because I love you, you know that right?"

"Yeah, yeah," she sighed as she settled back comfortably under the blankets.

He smiled cheekily at her before he stepped out of the room.

"Jarvis, lights please," he requested softly as he walked past Jared's room.

He briefly glanced inside at the bundled and scrunched up blankets. He couldn't help but grin for a moment at how tragically 'all-over-the-place' their son slept at night. He liked to think Jared got that from Pepper but he knew the kind of death stare he would get if he actually said that to her. He knew all too well about Pepper's constant complaints of his inability to actually stay under the blankets at night. He thought of Julia at that moment and stopped himself from tucking Jared in just yet. He decided to spend a little bit extra time just watching Jared sleep after Julia's all fed, freshly diapered and smelling good. He could only imagine the look on Pepper's face if he let Julia's deathly wail erupt in the middle of the night.

As he neared Julia's room he raised a brow when he noticed a line of light escaping from under the door. He was quite sure he had left Julia's door open when they had gone to sleep earlier. He briefly wondered if Jarvis had been over-ridden but thought otherwise because the AI clearly complied when he requested for the lights. However what differed to most other nights was Jarvis' sarcastic remarks.

"Jarvis," he queried softly.

"How may I be of assistance, sir?"

"Secure lockdown," he tested. He had updated Jarvis' security commands a week ago with a new protocol and what better time than to test them.

"That is unnecessary at this time, sir as all threat levels are 0. But if you insist I shall launch protocol J4R3D at your instruction," Jarvis swiftly replied.

"Not necessary," he replied with a hint of relief. The code of reasoning that he included in Jarvis' updated security codes seemed to be still very much intact. If an intruder of some sort had broken into Jarvis' the first thing that Jarvis was coded to do was to eliminate any ability of reasoning. On the other side of the coin he did find Jarvis' voice of reasoning very much annoying at times. But it was nice sometimes to be able to talk to an AI who could reason with his instructions. And also, Pepper had told him countless of times that treating Jarvis like some sort of slave with no voice of reason was wrong. After all, a happy wife would mean a happy life.

"If your concerns are in regards to Julia's safety, I assure you she is safe, sir," Jarvis added.

"I'm not too sure I quite follow, Jarvis," he said softly as he stopped in front of her door.

"Young Mr Stark decided to volunteer to part take in Julia's feeding schedule for this evening," Jarvis explained. "You might startle him if you enter the room too abruptly, sir. If you would like I could pre-warn him so as to eliminate any risk of young Mr Stark dropping Julia in surprize at your entrance."

"Oh…uh…yes, let him know," he was completely dumbfounded.

"You may enter, sir," Jarvis responded after a moment.

He pushed the door open and raised a brow at Jared who seemed perfectly content from where he sat holding little Julia in his arms. Jared suddenly looked so much older than how he should at seven years of age. He looked like a big brother, like a protector. He couldn't help but swell in fatherly pride. Jared stared at him wide eyed with a bottle in hand, holding it slightly elevated as Julia suckled completely oblivious to the world around her.

"Daddy," Jared said softly.

"Hey there buddy," he smiled, "You look like you've got everything under control."

"You're not angry?"

"Not really," he murmured, "You saved me a trip downstairs to pick up Julia's milk."

Jared smiled as if relieved but then looked to him seriously this time and asked softly, "Daddy?"

"Yeah, buddy?"

"Could you…could you carry Julia and feed her now, my hands are getting tired…"


	44. J Squared

**A/N: **Oh dear! I believe I've completely forgotten to post this up. I wrote it sometime last weekend and completely forgot to upload it... Also, I've notice a sudden increase in readers/reviews ever since the Avengers got released and am completely ecstatic! :) I'm really glad a lot of you still love to read this story despite the fact that there is no actual plot line or direction other than just snippets of the Stark family's daily life. Enjoy! (this one is in Pepper's POV).

* * *

The first thing that caught Pepper's eye when she stepped into their home that afternoon was the strobe light flickering from the steps leading down to Tony's garage. The 'fun' garage as Jared liked to call it. But she knew better of course, only Jared could find learning about his father's Ironman suits 'fun'. She did of course spend many months before Jared's birth spending quality time with Tony in the garage and as she remembered it, there was no fun involved when it came to listening to Tony explain the intricate workings of the suit. However there were those occasions where they had happily waste hours together on his lounge chair by the television talking, gossiping and sometimes just merely enjoying each other's company. But she also remembered the other times she was subjected to listening to Tony's new ideas about the features he wanted to include in his next mark suit upgrade.

Not that she minded, she never would no matter how much Tony being Ironman scared her and terrified her to the core. She knew how much being Ironman meant to him and she knew how for once he was completely and utterly devoted to the cause he was fighting for. She would never take that away from him and even if there was a small part of her that wanted too, she never would. He was willingly wanting to share it with her, and the thought alone made her think otherwise. Because at the time it was still all so new to her. That her Tony, the same Tony that never looked at a woman twice could even be capable of loving and cherishing and wanting to spend more than just a night with her.

She smiled to herself as she slipped her shoes off at how easy it was to think about the past all over again. They had so much more now. So much more than she could ever imagine, wish and dream for. They had children, little people that they would help to nurture, to teach and to impart a little bit of each other into. Two beautiful children that she never thought she would have and with him of all people. He was the last person on her list that she would ever have imagined sharing something so wonderful and beautiful with. But here she was, mother of two, wife of the only Tony Stark, Ironman, genius, billionaire playboy, philanthropist.

"Greetings, Mrs Stark," Jarvis greeted as he normally did when she stepped towards the direction of the garage.

"Hello, Jarvis. How is Stark Senior and J squared doing?" she asked and smiled at the nickname Tony had come up with for Jared and Julia. Only Tony would give their children a mathematical formulated nickname.

"It seems they are enjoying themselves," Jarvis replied with a hint of a smile in his tone.

"May I ask what it is they are busying themselves with? I'd rather not walk into anything that may result in me having to be the bad cop and end all that fun," she murmured as she ran her fingers through her hair, careful to loosen the pony tail she had tied much earlier that morning.

"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to say," Jarvis' tone was regretful. "Mr Stark and young Mr Stark both on separate occasions demanded that should I reveal anything, I'd be forced to watch an entire season of the Simpsons."

"Oh dear," she mocked sarcastically.

"I'm detecting sarcasm in your tone, Mrs Stark. As I have told you and Mr Stark on countless occasions, the Simpsons is show that is-"

"Yes I know, Jarvis dear, it's a show that should be removed immediately which you have on many occasions threatened to hack into every television network on the globe and rid the earth of such a fowl and mind numbing television show."

"The show itself does a disservice to humanity," Jarvis replied simply.

"As much as you think it does, Jared still likes it," she murmured coolly.

"Yes, it is unfortunate and at times I have been concerned about young Mr Stark's ability to fall victim to the show's subliminal messages. Though after monitoring his mental activity during the shows he seems to be rejecting it and simply watches for entertainment," Jarvis replied dubiously, "In result of that I make arrangements to block all of my audio and visual channels to whatever room it is young Mr Stark chooses to watch it."

"You've monitored his mental activity?" she almost choked.

"I've had too on occasion," Jarvis' tone seemed unconcerned.

"Does Tony know?" she asked although already knowing what the answer would be.

"Yes of course, that was one of the additional features Mr Stark included in my version 24.3.1 firmware upgrade," Jarvis replied simply.

"And what version are you at now?"

"Mr Stark has since moved from numbered versioning to a more sophisticated alpha numerical versioning. I am now at version Jarau.35.2," Jarvis told her.

"Jarau?"

"Mr Stark liked to refer it as Just A Really Amazing Update."

"I see," she murmured as she stepped down the last step.

She glanced into the garage and found father and son hovering before a digital blue print of Tony's Ironman suit. She couldn't help but notice how the both of them stood side by side with hip tilted at one side and arm on the other. They were almost identical with the exception of baby Julia strapped to Tony's chest. She smiled and laughed quietly to herself as she pushed the doors open. She couldn't imagine a more perfect way of spending her afternoon other than with her three most important persons in her life.


	45. A Little bit of Reality

**A/N:** Oh dear, I'm afraid I was in a bit of a depressing mood when I was writing this. A long day at work + life in general does that sometimes. Anyways, nothing too dramatic happening in this chapter, just a little bit of reality. Enjoy. Oh and it's written in Tony's POV.

Just one other thing, I was thinking about giving names to all 45 chapters... What do you think?

* * *

Tony has a lot of ideas. He lives them and breaths them but most of all on a daily basis he dreams them. It is just the way he is and always has been. It was just the same all those years ago when he imagined that maybe one day he'd actually settle down and give up women and alcohol. It still was the same when he actually gave them up for her. She was after all, the only woman that has and ever could really understand the true him. He wished there was something he could do to forget the past and possibly wipe it out from history itself. But as much as he wants too and as smart as he is, he never will because some things are best left alone. Besides, he knows she would never let him even if there was a way because as she once said to him, _'the past is the past. But now, tomorrow and always matters to me.'_

Those are the words he writes in the letter he leaves in his will. He hates doing serious things like these because doing this only reminds him what he has to actually lose. It reminds him of all the gloomy days and all the rainy ones too. It reminds him of that single day every year when she cleared his schedule and demanded he help her clean out the kitchen. He hadn't realized at the time, because keeping track of the day's date just seemed unnecessary to him when he was younger. It mattered when he completed his projects and it mattered when he arrived to a party and brought a girl home afterwards. The date just wasn't important enough for him to precious seconds aside to follow. That's what he created Jarvis for and as much as he hates himself to admit it, that's what he once had Pepper for too. He signed the bottom of her letter with the only words he can think of, _'I love you, Pepper. I know it would be a lie to say I always have, but as Einstein proved that after death our energy never dies, know that with that energy I'm still loving you.' _

As he signed his name at the bottom of the letter and folded it he remembered all the times he made her sit by and watch him live a much darker life. He remembered those days when women and alcohol were like the air and food he breathed and fed upon. He'll never forget and he'll never forgive himself for making her sit through it. He knows she has told him time and time again to _'not worry with it because you're different now, Tony, and that's all that matters.'_

But there's a part of him that never will because remembering what he has put her through only makes him more determined to be the best man for her that he possibly could for the rest of their lives. It reminds him every morning when he wakes up beside her or when Jared calls him daddy and looks up to him like he's the only daddy in the world that matters. It reminds him when he's holding Julia in his arms and looking down at a little accumulation of him and her in that one tiny little body. It reminds him what he has to make up for and that's all he needs to know to make him a better man.

"Mr Stark?" their lawyer called out his name and he glanced at him and nodded.

He wrote her name neatly on the front of the letter and he hoped to god that she'll never ever have to read it. As he gazed down at the letter in his hands he had to admit that he felt a lot lighter. He felt a sense of relief because now at least when he's in the prime of a battle with the decision to live or to sacrifice his life for the sake of others, he'll die happily knowing there was at least one last way for him tell her how much he loves her.

"Will that be all, Mr Stark?" the lawyer asked him.

"That's all, Phillis," he smiled.

"What of the letter to Jared and Julia?" Phillis asked solemnly.

"Ah yes, those won't take too long," he said softly.

He wasn't completely sure how to start of Jared's letter but within a few minutes he had a page and a half of words. It appeared to him that writing this to Jared was slightly easier than Pepper's. He knew if anything, Jared would be brave enough to face the world without him. He was too smart to fall in his father's footsteps and besides, he had a lot more others to comfort and console him. He wrote mostly about how proud he was and how honoured he felt to call him his little boy. He wrote about his dreams and a little about the things he had done in the past that he hoped Jared will never follow suit. He signed the letter with one final request, _'Protect your mother and sister and take care of them. Find a girl to love and cherish her always.'_

'_My darling daughter,' _he starts of Julia's letter with much ease. He wrote about how proud he is of her and that no matter what any other boy will ever say to her, she will always be his little girl. He reminded her that if she was ever sad or if she ever felt alone, he would always be right there beside her. He wrote to her about how even though she was younger than Jared, he gave her his full permission to give Jared a good whacking and lecture when the occasion called for it. He wrote about how in all of his life, he never thought he would be writing something like this to someone like her. But that he was glad because it only meant that he had finally become a better man. He wrote that he only hoped she would find someone even better than her father to love and to cherish for the rest of her life. He signed the letter much alike he did to Jared's, with one final request he wrote, _'Love your mother and make her clean the kitchen on this day every year from now on. Don't let your brother get out of hand, I give you my full permission to slap him, punch him, lecture him, or whatever works to keep him in line.'_

He glanced at the two letters in his hands with the names Jared Stark and Julia Stark written on them and he felt somewhat better about the whole exercise. He was going to complain to Pepper afterwards of course because as much as this whole exercise was for the better, he really didn't like writing serious things like these.

Even if this whole exercise was his idea to begin with.


	46. Adults, Jared will never understand them

**A/N: **I'm not really sure I like the new look. Anyways, I apologize for the millionth time for my late update - I hope I haven't lost any readers in the process. I thank all who to this point have reviewed every now and then, :) it's nice to know my loyal readers are still lingering around. I think, that with much regret, I'm going to have to announce the end of this story soon. It's been dragging out now and I'm not sure how many of you are left actually reading this. Let me know if you guys think I should end it soon or continue?

* * *

There are things that Jared understands and then there are some that he doesn't think he ever will.

He has asked Jarvis why the sky was blue and why the grass was green and why their colours could not be swapped before. He wouldn't mind staring at a green sky and blue grass for a change. He's also asked why dogs had four legs and humans only two. He tried to picture a dog with two legs before and thanks to Jarvis his imagination was brought to life when there were apparently some dogs in the world with only two legs. He found it curious and amazing that they could balance and walk as if they were like humans. But all of that wasn't as curious as wondering why man only had ten fingers and ten toes. He wondered why five per hand, why not four or six. He tried to picture that once but the thought itself disturbed him and he ceased those thoughts immediately. He had a few nightmares about that a few days after and his mother had asked him about his nightmares. But he really didn't have it in him to tell her he had spent a day wondering why humans had ten fingers and ten toes.

It was from that day onwards that Jared decided not to wonder about such things. He decided instead to wonder more about the fundamentals of mathematics. His father was after all a genius in the scientific field and as much as he loved building things, he preferred pattern mathematics. There was something curious about all those funny symbols that those professors used and the chalk boards that he often saw those symbols written on. He had asked his father about whether he could get one and was told quite simply that if he was a good boy at the next three dinner events that he could get one.

The first two dinner events were easy enough. He spent the time silently sitting by his father or sometimes his mother or even his Uncle Happy and Aunty Natalie. It wasn't difficult to stay good because he had the PDA his father made for him and he had Julia to entertain as well. If anything, he actually enjoyed those little outings because it gave him a chance to be Julia's body guard. Not that she really needed him to be her body guard when they already had two, his Uncle Happy and Aunty Natalie.

But it was the third dinner event that was particularly difficult. The night started out alright, his parents, him and Julia arrived on time and were greeted by all those flashing cameras as per usual. As much as he normally hated standing there with that smile on his face, he grudgingly pulled himself together and smiled for the cameras. He already had the entire night all planned in his head. He was going to sit by the dinner table after their meal and play a few levels of M.A.G.E. He was then going to check on Julia, maybe blow some bubbles at her and play boo like he normally did. Then he was going to bother his Uncle Happy and try for another round of chess on his PDA or colour some pictures in that small colouring book his mother had in her purse for him with the crayons his father had in his suit pocket.

As they had made their way into the large room, or ball room, he wasn't exactly sure of what it was called. He was normally good with names but he couldn't bring himself to pay much attention when his mother explained the workings of their dinner events to him. It wasn't because he didn't like to listen to her or anything like that. He just really did not like dinner events of any sorts. They were always boring and as his father liked to put it, 'tedious' and all in all, he just didn't like the way all the people always ruffled at his hair.

They met a strange lady that went by the name of Christine Everhart which he thought at first was alright. He was sure he had met her before but he couldn't be certain because he has met several million people in the little few years of his life. After several minutes of listening to her rather rude comments directed at his parents, he instantly disliked her. The frown on his face grew when she started commenting about him. She said a few things about him being the reason why his parents got married and settled down. That he was somehow the mistake in bed. He didn't really understand all of it but from the look on his parent's faces he was sure what she was saying was only upsetting them.

He really wanted to tell her to go away or something. But his parents talked back to her and told her quite firmly to let it go and walk away so as to not cause a scene. She didn't have it of course and as much as he wanted to try and say anything in his parent's defence, he wasn't going too because he promised his father and also because he really wanted that chalk board. Besides he didn't ever get involved with such situations because the adult world and the adult ways of doing things and talking were still far beyond his ability to understand. He wasn't very good at social interaction but slowly with each passing day he was starting to grasp it better.

He knew it the moment she had turned her eyes to little Julia. He almost knew what she was going to say next and before she could even begin he had already started to frown. He was losing the battle inside his head and for a moment there he had the word 'chalk board' chanting inside his head. But the moment she started to talk about how his sister was 'the other mistake' and a 'little witch', he lost it entirely. He wasn't going to sit around and let anyone be mean to his little sister. He was her big brother and he knew his parents could deal with this lady quite easily but right in that moment all he wanted to do was be her big brother and protect her.

"I don't like you, miss," he had said despite his mother's best hushed, 'quiet, Jared.'

"What did you say?" Christine laughed, her eyes glaring at him.

"I said, I don't like you," he told her. "Could you go away?"

"Go away?" she laughed again.

"Jared," his father murmured. "Let me deal with this."

"You're a really mean lady," he continued softly and ignored his father completely. His fingers intertwined together behind his back as he added, "And I really don't like you or what you're saying about my mummy and daddy and especially my little sister."

"Jared," his mother warned.

Her lips twitched at each end as he straightened up and continued, "I know that I'm little but you can laugh at me if you want or say mean things about me and I won't get angry. But I will if you keep saying mean things about my little sister."

She huffed once and glared from him to his father and then to his mother. "Keep your son on a leash, I wouldn't like to see anything bad happening to him because of that little mouth of his."

She walked off promptly after that last word.

"You did not just threaten my son," Tony blared at her.

She turned around and smiled widely. "Here we go."

He pointed a finger at her and bellowed, "I'll accept it when you threaten me and for the sake of my wife not telling me off afterwards, I'll accept it when you blabber your meaningless garble at her as well. I tolerate it when you bring Jared and Julia into your insignificant comments, but I will not allow it if you threaten any of us, especially my son."

"Hardly meaningless garble. It's all fact after all," she laughed.

His father sucked in a deep breath of air and glanced briefly at his mother as if speaking to her with just his eyes before he turned to that lady and said, "Alright, I suppose I will have to man up and deal with it once and for all."

"Tony," his mother warned.

"It is a fact that I slept with you-"

"Tony," Pepper gasped.

"It's okay, Pep," he murmured softly to her as he gently caught the bend of her elbow and continued to bellow at Christine, "It is a fact that you were the reporter that had the pleasure of unmasking Ironman's true identity, only because I felt like it not because you somehow managed to talk me into it. Trust me, if I didn't want too, nobody would ever know. It is a fact that I was a playboy, drunk and hopeless fool. But it is also a fact that I am none of that now and never will be again."

"So sure of yourself?" Christine remarked slyly.

"It is not a fact that I have slept with any other woman than Pepper, my wife, best friend and mother of my children. She has been the only woman for me ever since the day I returned from Afghanistan. It is also not a fact that I have blown all our money on alcohol and meaningless technological garbage, I mean seriously, if that were the case don't you think we'd be living on the streets. I'm not sure how living in a mansion as well as owning a listed company earning close to the billions could suggest we were in any way shape or form moneyless. For the record money isn't an object and I agree, it can't buy you happiness either, but clearly maybe for you it might because you just can't seem to let this go no matter what. If I thought it would help, we'd even pay for your therapy."

"Oh please…"

"It is also a fact that Jared and Julia are 100% Tony's," Pepper added softly beside him. "It is also a fact that men have made advances on me, but it is not a fact that Tony has ever killed any of them. He wouldn't be here if that was the case because as you so clearly put it, justice does get brought to those who deserve it and as far as Tony is concerned, he has not done anything that has been deemed illegal. Who he works for and who he answers too now is above your pay grade and mine for that matter. After all these years of listening and reading about your proclamations of our lives is getting rather tedious, boring and not to mention, old. Don't you think enough is enough? Hasn't a decade of pestering us given you your fill? Or is moving on too difficult? I mean if it really does help, like Tony said, we'll be more than happy to pay for your therapy."

"You get sexier and sexier as each day passes, I swear, Pep darling," Tony murmured softly, his eyes turned to her as he eyed his mother strangely.

His mother smiled and slid a hand over his as she murmured to him, "Not really the time for that comment, Tony, but I appreciate it all the same."

Jared glanced back at the lady who scoffed at them and marched off without another single word.

He really didn't understand adults. He didn't think he ever would.


	47. Avenger's Tower

**A/N: **Oh wow! I have to say I'm really surprised/happy/amazed that so many of you still actually love this story. I have thus decided that I shall not end it just yet. I do enjoy writing this fic and as long as there are readers out there I'll continue to write! :) Also just a word of warning, I've decided to incorporate the Avenger's movie world into this fic. I like to stay as close as I can to the movie plotline so there'll be a slight change, hopefully you will all enjoy it! The not-so-subtle hint is in this chapter and it should spell out exactly where I'm taking this story.

* * *

Tony never really thought much of the Avenger's Tower in New York. He knew the building was spectacular and he never denied it was probably one of his and Pepper's greatest works ever. But he never thought about living there before, well, he never even thought about it until Jared had mentioned that in passing during one of their family visits to New York. At first he couldn't see why Jared would like New York. The city itself was loud at its quietest moments and chaotic at all times of the day. The people rarely slept and without doubt there would always be a wayward drunk walking down the streets shouting, whistling and sometimes even singing.

It took Tony a long time to understand. But it took him an even longer time to get over the fact that he apparently did not know his son very well. It all started three vacations ago, before Julia was born when he had brought Pepper and Jared to the Avenger's Tower for their routinely, three month visit. He knew the cover story behind Natasha's station at Stark Industries. He had been debriefed of it almost soon after they had collectively formed the Avenger's team and saved the world from Loki's reign. The global threats had died down immediately after that last stint and Tony was grateful for that because less global threats meant that his family was safe from any impending doom.

Natalie, or rather, Natasha's cover story was carried on after her last assignment at Stark Industries when she had to supposedly 'gather intel' on Tony. She remained with them mainly so that she could better keep an eye on his side of the world. He would never formally admit it despite how many times Fury had mentioned it, but he was thankful for that, because between Stark Industries, his little family, the media and his Ironman suits, he really didn't have enough time to spend monitoring everything else. Also, her being there with them meant that he had an extra hand to help if any global, local or national threats unfolded near his little family.

He didn't like the fact that Jared wasn't in on it because he knew how much Jared looked up to Natasha. He also knew how comfortable Jared thought of his Uncle Happy and Aunty Natalie being in a supposed relationship. It wasn't fair to any of them, Tony thought. It wasn't fair to Happy because all of sundry knew that Happy Hogan really needed someone to settle down with. It wasn't fair to Natasha, seeing as she was married to Clint Barton, Hawkeye in their team. But most of all it wasn't fair to Jared, because he was only a kid and sometimes lying to a kid does things to their mind that Tony rather wished didn't happen to his son.

Jared was and still wasn't in on it and Tony knew, that it would only be a matter of time before Jared would finally put two and two together. Jared was a smart kid and in more ways than none, a genius, which Pepper liked to remind him that, Jared's brightness had nothing to do with Tony's intelligence what so ever. Tony still thought otherwise, but he loved Pepper and loved sleeping beside her at night to know that he should kept those thoughts to himself.

But with each time they visited the Avenger's Towers, Jared was still none the wiser. Although it seemed their visits brought out another side of Jared that Tony would have never in a million years predicted. It all started with a hint when Jared mentioned how amazing and cool the Avenger's Tower was. The visits after that continued with Jared's remarks about the sheer coolness of the building and how being able to speak to Jarvis anywhere and everywhere had to be the most amazing thing ever. But it wasn't until that one particular conversation that Tony happened to listen in on did he start entirely rethinking what he thought he knew about his son.

It all started when Pepper asked if he would grab a snack for her from the kitchen. He was busy at the time attending to another experiment of sorts in the lab with Bruce, but because he loved her and she was pregnant with Julia, and also partly because she had an irritated look on her face at the time, he didn't argue or make any sarcastic remarks. He knew when the right time was to joke around or to be serious, but he also knew when she was tired and irritated and how crossing Pepper's path when she was both would be catastrophic. He remembered the look on Bruce's face at the time and he remembered having thrown the scientist and fellow Avenger team member 'the look' before he casually kissed the top of her head and excused himself to get some snacks.

He was busy in his own thoughts about the experiment that he missed the potted plants decoration entirely and walked right into the tree just a few steps away from the kitchen. He was about to let out some profanities when he heard Jared's very noticeable voice accompanied with Clint's cool, calm and collected tone. In almost all of their visits to the Avenger's Tower, Tony would find Jared spending a great deal of his time bothering Clint. He had told his fellow friend that he didn't have to put up with Jared's pestering, but Clint, ever the polite man that he was always told Tony, _'it's alright. He's a bright kid and hey, it's not every day a kid thinks bows are cooler than a metal suit that flies.' _Tony decided not to think much of Clint after that and instead found amusement when Clint threw him the please-take-him-away-from-me-so-I-can-spend-some-time-with-Natasha look every now and then.

Their voices were accompanied with the sound of a unfamiliar car related video game in the background. At first Tony was only able to catch a few words here and there between the gear changing sounds. He sneaked closer even though he knew full and well that he could have probably have asked Jarvis to record the conversation so that he could listen to it later. But there just wasn't any fun in that and every now and then, Tony missed being mischievous. He also knew that Clint had probably heard him from a mile away with his super master assassin skills. It was amazing when Tony thought about it sometimes, the kind of sensing capabilities that Clint and Natasha both had. It was almost down right disturbing.

"I wish we could live here," Tony heard Jared's unmistaken voice.

"Hmm…"

"I don't think daddy wants to live here," Jared added shortly.

"Have you spoken to your daddy about it?" Tony silently snorted at Clint's muffled voice between the chewing of chips. That man, despite his calm, cool, well-mannered self was surely teaching his son a bulk of bad manners at the moment.

"No," Jared replied. "I don't think mummy wants to live here either."

"Well, you never know until you ask," Tony was quite sure that Clint knew of his presence by that point.

"Yeah, I guess," Jared sighed, "Maybe I'll ask daddy later."

"Sounds good to me, bud," Clint replied between a few mouthfuls of crunches.

Tony had been rather absorbed and focused in that moment entirely thinking about how he could persuade Pepper to move to New York that he didn't notice Natasha standing behind him until she coughed and he jumped. She looked at him disapprovingly and he had to admit she still looked scary even when she wore simple civilian clothes.

That night when they had dinner Clint threw him a rather amused look and because of Pepper, he was nice and didn't comment, but that was also partly because Jared was in the room. He did however throw his comrade a smile when Jared excitedly threw his fist into the air and demanded a rematch at whatever game that was they were playing earlier after dinner. Natasha only glared at him, but he smiled sweetly and Pepper kicked him under the table. It bruised and when anybody asked in those weeks following, Tony said it was from that assignment they had in Afghanistan.

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**A/N:** Sorry to leave two authors notes, I rarely leave two but I didn't want to write this at the top. It would give away the entire chapter. I really hope I haven't upset anyone with the change from Happy/Natalie shipping to the Clint/Natalie(sometimes known as Natasha) shipping.


	48. Covers Dropped

**A/N: **Has been a while since I've last updated and most of you or maybe a few of you have noticed my detour to the Clintasha fic universe of things. I've finally gotten out of that universe for enough time to update this :).

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If there was one thing that Jared absolutely, completely and entirely loved, apart from that chalkboard that his mother and father gave to him the other day, it was the Avenger's Tower in New York. There was nothing else that could ever compete with the greatness of that tower. He knew everything there was to know about the building, from the history of why it was built twice to why there were 20 floors that only few knew and had access too. He knew about the war of the worlds and how the mighty 'Avengers' or so that was what his father liked to refer to the team as, had defeated the evil blue men and saved world once and for all.

He just couldn't understand why his mother and father didn't want to live in the towers. What better than to be able to speak to Jarvis anywhere and everywhere in that entire building? Didn't they know how wonderful and amazing it was to have a conversation with the AI during those few minutes spent in the elevator? Or even in some occasions in the cleaner's cupboard when Jared felt the need to hide in the cleaner's cupboard for no reason at all?

Apart from the enhanced Jarvis features that he loved so much, he also loved being able to spend time with his father's comrades. He knew Natalie the most out of all of them given her being instructed to remain with the Stark's between assignments. But he had seen only little of the others apart from those festive season get together dinners or those few times they visited Stark Towers. He loved getting to know each of them, from their weapons of choice – which his mother had expressed on numerous occasions that he really didn't need to know about, to their armour of choice – which his mother also did not like him learning about, to the more personal side of them or as his father liked to put it 'the human side'.

He loved listening to them talk about the places they had been for missions, assignments or for their own personal vacations. At one point Jared decided quite simply that collectively they had all been to every place in the entire world, with the exception of Asgard that is. His Uncle Thor had that one up on the others, but despite that, Jared also knew that the others had more one ups to the god of thunder. His Aunty Natalie alone had been to more places than he could count, with his Uncle Clint's total following quite closely behind or if not almost equalled. He knew his Uncle Steve was probably somewhere around the same total as his Uncle Bruce with his father maybe exceeding the number twice over, he wasn't completely sure.

He had to admit that of all of his father's comrades, with the exception of his Aunty Natalie, his favourite was his Uncle Bruce. The scientist almost always had red liquorice in the labs. It didn't matter if Jared visited his Uncle Bruce in the labs on level 2, or 5, or 17, 25 or 56. It seemed that no matter where Jared stumbled into the lab with his father to find his Uncle Bruce there, that no matter what he would have some handy. His second favourite was his Uncle Clint for no real rhyme or reason other than the fact that he had the coolest weapon of them all. He remembered having listened to his Uncle Clint explaining to him the fine workings of his bow and why it was his weapon of choice. It still amazed him to this day how cool the weapon was and that even though it was old and out dated, was still as deadly as any other weapon when put in his Uncle Clint's hands.

His third favourite was a tie between his Uncle Steve and his Uncle Thor. Although it seemed that more than anything, his Uncle Thor scared him. The man towered above him like Stark Tower's itself and he always had this weird look on his face that Jared could never quite make out to whether he was having stomach problems or if he was angry at someone. The god of thunder had more muscles than Jared had ever seen on any man and the intimidating look always made Jared weary. His Uncle Steve was probably the nicest of all of them, but on occasion he seemed to always give his father weird looks and Jared didn't really like that all that much. He didn't understand why his Uncle Steve scolded his father for being 'annoying' because his father was anything but 'annoying' to him.

But on the whole Jared loved everything and anything to do with Stark Towers. If it wasn't the extended Jarvis feature then it was his father's comrades. In some occasions it was the cool and interesting things his father and his Uncle Bruce were inventing in the labs or if not then it was all of his Uncle Clint's really cool bows to his Uncle Steve's shields or his Uncle Thor's hammer that seemed to be the heaviest thing Jared had ever tried to lift. He loved Stark Towers and he still couldn't see why his mother and father wouldn't want to live there.

He pondered over all of that as he stared across the night skyline of New York City. It bustled with life and he could hear wayward singing and whistling which he assumed to be another drunk roaming the blocks. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't even notice his Uncle Clint taking up residence on the lounge behind him.

"Hmm…" the sound of his Uncle Clint's familiar hum startled him slightly.

Jared turned around and sighed considerably when he realized it was only his Uncle Clint.

"What's on your mind bud?" his Uncle Clint asked softly.

Jared shrugged and then mumbled, "I was trying to figure out why mummy and daddy won't live here."

He sighed as he sunk back into the sofa beside his Uncle Clint.

His uncle Clint smiled and ruffled at his hair. "We've had this conversation before, Jared."

"I know, Uncle Clint," Jared sighed, "But I just can't help it, every time we come for a visit I just want to stay here and not go home."

"Maybe you should just-"

"And daddy is always here, so wouldn't it be a lot easier if we lived here? Daddy wouldn't have to always fly back and forth," Jared explained even though he knew that no matter how much he explained, he was still going to have to go back home in the next two weeks.

"Maybe in time your father will come around with the idea," his Uncle Clint told him although the expression on his face seemed to tell a different story. It was almost as if he had more to say but yet wouldn't say anything.

"And you wouldn't have to be so far away from Aunty Natalie anymore," Jared added, "I'm sure you and the others miss her."

"That I sure do, Jared," his Uncle Clint said softly and weirdly enough his eyes glistened when he said that. "But don't tell her I said that, okay?"

Jared nodded obediently and added, not exactly knowing what his words would actually mean to the agent, "Aunty Natalie misses you too."

"Huh… well, I'm…I'm glad," his Uncle Clint smiled as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Clint, there you are, is Jared with-"

"He sure is," his Uncle Clint smiled warmly at her before he added, "I found Jared all alone in here and thought I'd stop by and see what was bothering him. He had the whole 'Tony Stark' look on his face."

She smiled at his Uncle Clint's comment, although he wasn't too sure exactly what his Uncle Clint meant by the 'Tony Stark' look. Surely Jared would always have his father's look on his face.

"Are you okay, Jared?" she asked gently and touched his cheek, "You didn't decide to go climbing into the ceiling ducts again right?"

"No, no, I didn't, I swear Aunty Natalie," he told her honestly as he tried to swipe away her hand.

"No swearing about it, just don't do it again," she said simply as she adjusted his crooked collar.

"Hmm… I've clearly missed out on a lot since your last visit," his Uncle Clint observed as he smirked at his Aunty Natalie.

"Yes well, you won't be missing out on this for much longer," she replied softly as she ruffled Jared's hair.

Jared whined a little at her actions but she seemed to ignore his attempts entirely as she slid onto the sofa beside his Uncle Clint.

"Oh? What did the one eyed man have to say?" his Uncle Clint asked. Jared noticed by this point his Uncle Clint had his arm around the back of the sofa which also meant that his arm was really close to the back of his Aunty Natalie's shoulders. It seemed all so strange to Jared as he always thought that nobody other than him would ever be allowed to be that close to his Aunty Natalie.

His Aunty Natalie kept quiet for almost a minute before she said softly, "He's decided to drop my cover."

"Does Tony know?" his Uncle Clint asked.

"Clint," she murmured, her tone seemed to be warning him of something of what Jared wasn't exactly sure.

"Come on, Nat. He's going to know sooner or later anyway…"

She sighed considerably after a few moments and then murmured softly, "Tony made the call."

"Oh… so he's finally decided then?"

"Yes," she nodded.

Jared was completely lost at this point of the conversation. He had no head or tail as to what exactly his Uncle Clint and Aunty Natalie had been talking about. He guessed that it had something to do with his father but what exactly he wasn't sure. He did or rather he could feel that the atmosphere in the room had shifted and more than ever he just wanted to excuse himself politely and leave the adults to talk.

"And I'm guessing they want us to say something?"

"Yes."

His Uncle Clint hummed for a moment before he murmured softly, "I guess I'll go, so you can-"

"I think it's better if we did this together, don't you?"

"Probably…"

Jared shifted despite his attempts to remain completely inconspicuous. He noticed the both of them had quietened considerably and the strangeness in the air only seemed to increase with every passing second. He wasn't sure if he should leave the room or if he should just sit there and wish that he would sink into the sofa. He really didn't understand adults. He just didn't no matter how hard he tried.

"Jared…"

He turned to his Aunty Natalie slightly startled from the sudden sound of her voice in the seemingly quietened room.

"I'm afraid I haven't been entirely honest with you," she started.


	49. Love is for Children

**A/N: **Alright, firstly I'll apologize for the extremely late chapter update… Life has been hectic, as always. I've been thinking a lot about this story though and I'll be honest, I'm starting to find it seriously difficult to write anything because of my 'no plot line' style of writing chapters. I'm afraid I'm going to have to bring this story to an end soon. It isn't fair to you readers to put up with my much delayed chapter updates.

I decided to approach this chapter a little differently than the others. It's written from Natasha's point of view. I thought it would be interesting to explore her view of things when she speaks to Jared.

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Love is for children, or so that's what she thought all those years ago when she stood before the god of mischief weighing the odds between saving the world and saving the only man that had ever managed to break down those walls around her. She always thought that love was for the weak because only the powerful, the cold and strong conquered. She had been wrong of course because really when she thinks about it now, love was what cleared that red in her ledger. It was the only thing that gave her existence a purpose and now, it had become the thing she lived for. She has only ever admitted it publically four times in her life.

The first was when she had accidentally fallen pregnant. She never expected to be able to conceive especially after everything she was put through in the Red Room. It happened after that one particular mission in Budapest of which to this day Clint still suggests that they both remember it differently. She remembers it mostly because of the ambush they somehow managed to make it out of. He remembers it only because of the first time they actually slept together. She had told Phil about it first and he had told her simply that the decision to keep or terminate it was entirely hers. He told her that whilst SHEILD had that policy of no relations between agents, they didn't have a policy about agents with children.

The second was when she had stood before Loki or rather stood with her back facing him when he mouthed those foul words to her that she still struggles to shake from nightmares. It's a lot better now than it was all those years ago but sometimes there are days and there are those missions that thread a little bit closer when she's reminded of what she actually has to lose now. Clint never says anything and he doesn't need too because in all honesty they speak in a language of only looks, gestures and touch.

The third was when he went down on his knee and asked her, genuinely in the most honest way a man like him could ever be, if she would marry him. He didn't have a proper speech prepared even though he admitted later on that Tony had actually made him put together one. He simply took an opportunity when they were alone on a mission in an abandoned warehouse with nothing but dust surrounding him to ask her the question that he already knew the answer too. She didn't cry and she didn't jump around joyfully either. She only smiled in the most genuine way that she knew how and she took his hand, pulled him up and told him yes.

The fourth is now, sitting across from a seven year old boy looking more miserable than Tony did after that third mission with the Avenger's when she and Clint refused to have dinner with them. He had said that missing out on their after-mission dinners was like breaking the most sacred rule of their super heroes club. Tony didn't take to it kindly afterwards when he returned to the tower with Thor, Bruce and Steve in tow to a two year old toddler sitting on one of their common kitchen's islands hugging her bear close to her chest looking very much like a miniature her. It wasn't long afterwards when they explained that the others understood and welcomed Ella with almost as much enthusiasm as they did Clint even though Clint had almost killed them when under Loki's control.

Ella's identity was mostly hidden from Jared the first few times he visited the tower. But after a while in time when countless of Tony's scientists frequented the tower it became easier to let Ella venture the tower, occasionally running into Jared. They brought Ella up well, telling her how important it was for Jared to always believe that she was Natalie Rushman and in no way shape or form married or mother of Jeremy. They played occasionally when Jared visited and sometimes it was difficult when she caught the two climbing into the vents. But Ella always could hide it better and the fact that she played it so well only made her, as her mother play it better. She once told Clint that Ella must really take after them if she could lie so well. Clint's only response had been how he hoped she wouldn't ever try to use it against them when she reached the age when boys became interesting.

She looked to Jared as he sat there before her with eyes downcast and hands on his lap looking as if he had done something wrong. Her heart broke a little because she knew how much Jared had looked up to her for practically all his life. She knew how much he admitted Clint and how much he trusted her too and for them to harbour such a lie would only seriously furrow his thoughts. Jared was a thinker and an observer, which surprizes her that he didn't see through her sooner. Surely he would have caught her and Clint's gazes. She used to be better at hiding it but after being married for almost a decade, habits that had formed are hard to break.

"Ella's your daughter, isn't she?" Jared asked calmly after several moments of still silence.

Clint shifted uncomfortably on the other end of the lounge and she glanced momentarily at him.

"She is," Clint replied when she caught his gaze.

"She told me," Jared murmured softly and turned briefly to look at Clint, "About you being her daddy, but she said I wasn't allowed to tell no one."

"What about Natasha, her mummy?" Clint asked.

"She never told me who her mummy was," Jared said softly and looked back at Natasha. "But I sort of guessed that you were."

"Sort of?" she questioned calmly.

"Ella doesn't apologize to anyone," Jared started and looked down nervously, "But she does every time you catch us climbing in the vents."

She smirked briefly at the thought of her daughter.

"I know this is all hard to accept and I'm really sorry bud, really… if your aunty Natasha and I could do it any differently, we would," Clint sighed as he ruffled Jared's hair.

"I understand," Jared nodded, "At least not everything was a lie."

"I'd say things should be a lot easier in the tower now that the lies no longer hang over all our heads," she said softly.

The silence hung over them again. She caught Clint's eye for a moment and then it all dawned on her that she didn't have to leave, that she was actually able to stay. It's been so long since she's actually had the chance to be home and she admitted quietly that she really was getting old if being home felt better than being in the field.

"I think, I'll go find my daddy now," Jared said politely.

She didn't expect him to hug her but as she held his little body in his she admitted quietly that maybe love was for children after all. In the literal sort of way rather than the way she had thought when she said it to Loki.


	50. The Morning After part 1

**A/N: **I've been very slack when it comes to updating this and I apologize. In all honesty like I've been saying a few chapters ago already, I'm starting to lose the inspiration for this story. I will try and finish it by the end of this year. Thanks to everyone so far who have stuck around and enjoyed every chapter! I will update soon!

* * *

"Jarvis," Jared called absentmindedly as he kicked the blankets from his body.

"How may I be of assistance, young Mr Stark?" Jarvis' calm tone sounded through his room.

"How long has it been?" he asked, knowing full and well that Jarvis knew exactly what he was referring to.

"12 hours, 28 minutes, 46 seconds," Jarvis replied.

"Where's my daddy and mummy?" he asked curiously as he stepped off his bed.

"Your father is in the bio-tech science lab room 24 on level 46 with Dr Bruce Banner. He checked on you earlier but did not wish to wake you. Your mother is nursing young Miss Stark and is currently not contactable. Young Miss Stark seems to be making it very difficult for your mother to bathe her."

"Does she need help?" he asked even though he really didn't want to speak to his mother just yet. He still hasn't forgiven anyone but he wasn't mad either. He just wanted to be left alone and he was glad that his mummy and daddy was giving him his space for a while.

"She seems to have it under control but if she should require assistance I will let you know," Jarvis told him.

He sighed and nodded. He pushed the door open and was startled to find Ella sitting on the floor leaning against the wall opposite his door. Her elbows were on her knees and her head currently resided on her fisted hands. She smiled when she caught his eyes and despite everything that had happened yesterday he was quite pleased to see her. It didn't really change their friendship all that much now when he thought about it.

She lied about her mother but she didn't about her father and that sort of gave her the one up on everyone else. She trusted him enough to tell him who her father was and that meant something to him.

"Good morning," he greeted softly.

"Morning," she replied as she stood. "My mummy told me what happened, are you okay?"

"I'll be okay," he told her.

"I was afraid you might not want to speak to me…because I lied."

"I never asked you about your mummy so you didn't really lie," he said as together they walked down the hall.

"It was really difficult you know," she started as he gathered two cups from the cupboard. "Mummy told me I gave it away when I apologized to her when we got caught climbing the vents."

He smirked and said, "You never say sorry to anyone other than her."

"Daddy says it's just because you're a gen-iu.. ge-niss..ahk! A really smart boy," she said finally and blushed a little.

"My daddy's smart so maybe that's why I'm smart too, just like your daddy is really good with his arrows and you're really good at throwing things at my head," he laughed.

She laughed for a moment before she halted and listened intently. "I think you're mummy is coming."

"I don't really want to talk to her just yet."

"You should," she told him simply, "They're all worried about you."

"I know…" he sighed.

She raised a brow at him and glanced upward for a moment before she looked back at him again, "Well, the vents? I've got a cool new place I found to show you."

He beamed a grin.


	51. The Morning After part 2

**A/N: **First up let me profusely beg for your forgiveness for taking sooooooooooooooooo long to update this. To be perfectly honest it has been so long since I've last updated that I'm not even sure if any of you will read this. My inspiration came from recently re-watching Ironman 3 and watching Tony and that Harley kid made me think about my little Jared all over again. I couldn't help but write this. On a different note, I liked to think that if I don't update anymore after this chapter then at least this would be a good place to close off... Though if inspiration strikes me again I will post up a chapter. I'd like to also take this opportunity to thank every one of you for reading, reviewing and favouring this story. :)

* * *

Jared returned to their level approximately 3 hours later, exactly 45 minutes before lunch time. Ella had been called by his Aunty Natasha of whom he greeted with a quick and simple 'hello' before he hurried off. He didn't stick around long enough to figure out why his Aunty Natasha and Uncle Clint had that serious look on their faces.

Their level was quiet when he stepped from the elevator, well, with the exception of Jarvis greeting him. The AI hardly said much else as he walked to the front door and instructed Jarvis to open the securely locked door. Jarvis complied with letting him know that his parents were there and that they had inquired about his absence earlier. He didn't say anything other than that audible grunt which he was sure Jarvis picked up on.

He pushed the door open and quietly shut it behind him. He stilled when a sound drifted from the kitchen and just like Ella had taught him, he pressed himself up against the wall and kept perfectly still. He walked really slowly, keeping his eyes in the direction of the kitchen as he crept slowly. But a hand touched his shoulder and he turned and found himself staring into his father's eyes.

"Let me guess," his father started calmly in that knowing tone of his, "Ella taught you how to sneak?"

He nodded, unsure of himself to say anything.

"I'm afraid she's going to have to do better than that," his father murmured disapprovingly and then scratched at his beard with one hand as he looked Jared up and down. He squatted to a lower level so that his eyes levelled Jared's and then continued, "You need to keep your legs to the wall, here," he pointed to the leg that was particularly away from the wall, "and here…"

Jared shifted his foot accordingly and glanced back up at his father again.

"And, you need to keep this hand on the wall," his father instructed as he pressed his little hand into the wall, "And the other in a loose fist," his father continued, curling his hand into a fist and positioned it near to his little chest, "so that you not only maintain balance but also recover fast enough when someone takes you by surprize."

"Oh…"

"The idea is to not be caught so you need to also look behind you every so often," his father explained simply, "I had to learn this all the hard way."

"Why?"

His father smiled momentarily before he said, "Because when you work with the world's two best master assassins, you learn by being thrown to the floor."

"Uncle Clint and Aunty Natali-Natasha have thrown you to the floor?" Jared asked quickly, forgetting entirely that he was supposed to be angry at his father.

"Accidentally, yes, but I suppose I deserved it," his father replied.

"What did you do?"

"I tried to sneak up on them," his father told him and smiled slightly.

"Oh…" he nodded and said, "They've never thrown me to the floor when Ella and I sneak up on them."

His father grinned, "That's because they always know when you guys are sneaking around."

"How? Jarvis?"

"Sometimes," his father nodded, "But also they've got good senses. You could almost say they know almost everything that's happening around them within a good radius."

"Is that why they're master assassins?" Jared asked and then started to remember that he was supposed to be angry, "Is that why Aunty Natal-Natasha was so good at lying?"

His father's smile fell and he breathed in deeply before he murmured, "Let me start out by saying that she didn't particularly like doing that to you."

"It wasn't fair," Jared said softly.

"It wasn't easy for all of us, bud," his father said. "Your Uncle Clint argued with your Uncle Fury about it for days, but that was the way it needed to be."

Jared kept silent for a while and even though he was supposed to be angry at his father, he could sort of understand.

"Are we going to live here now?"

"Yes."

"Why now?" Jared asked softly.

"Because you're older," his father started and glanced down the hallway briefly before looking back at him again, "because of our enemies and because your uncle Fury needs me to be closer to the rest of the team."

"But what about mummy and the company?"

"Mummy will work from the tower here and the company will stay where it is in Malibu," his father explained.

"And Uncle Happy?"

"Here with us."

Jared stayed silent for a few moments more as he processed everything his father had just told him. Did this mean that he was going to go to school here in New York from now on? He hoped the other kids were nice. He really didn't want to have a bunch of body guards following him around every day again.

"I'm still mad at you, daddy," Jared said softly after a while, "But not as much anymore."

His father smiled and nodded, "That's good to know. Now what do you say we persuade your mummy to have ice cream for lunch?"

Jared smiled.


End file.
